Star Trek: Moonrise
by Rattler20200
Summary: An ancient, long forgotten enemy launches an unprovoked attack against the Federation. Five young women find themselves caught in the middle, and aboard the one ship that stands between an evil Queen and Earth. The USS Enterprise is in a race against time to end a war that had been on hold for centuries.
1. Set the Pieces

Author's Note: Well... its been a while since I actually posted anything so... I FINALLY worked up the courage to start posting chapters of this story. Been sitting on my hard drive for over a year _at least_ and... well... its because half of this story is in the reboot Star Trek universe and is very heavy on the Star Trek side. However... there _is_ a reason for this. This isn't a "Scouts living into the 23rd Century" story. This is an original story with the Scouts being born in the 23rd Century. I have changed a few things around, such as a couple names being a bit different and some personalities shifted a bit to accomidate different environments on the Scout side, and I would ask for respectful, constructive criticism in reviews and not just "Stick to canon" as Canon goes out the window in fanfics, and especially in crossovers.

Main reason I've been edgy is because of the hate I've seen some Trek fans dish out on the reboot movies, but I felt the reboot setting fit better with the story I wanted to tell. Anyways... here it finally is.

The soundtrack I used while writing this entire story was the soundtracks to _Star Trek_ , _Star Trek Into Darkness_ , and the game _Star Trek_... in case anyone wanted to add some music to the scenes.

Deunan: 'Bout time you came back Rattler. Anyways... Rattler20200 owns nothing but the plot of this story. Disclaimer done. Enjoy and review! Rattler will try and throw in some Behind the Scenes blurbs at the end of each chapter if he can remember the details.

* * *

Chapter 1

Set the Pieces

All hell had broken loose. The sound of phaser fire and explosions around her spurred her on. Whoever these aliens were, they weren't messing around. The thing that confused her the most was the fact that some of the aliens didn't appear to have a visible weapon at all.

A bolt of energy shot passed her head and she whirled around, bringing her own phaser up and firing several bolts of energy in the direction the attack came from. Spinning back around, she continued towards her destination, the Admiral's Office. Captain Winters had given her orders to make sure the Admiral got out in one piece. And she wasn't going to let him down. Not on her very first assignment.

The door opened, and she found Admiral Negata working on a console.

"Admiral," she said. "We gotta go now sir."

Admiral Negata shook his head as he continued to work on something before producing a datachip.

"Lieutenant… I'll only slow you down," he said as he handed her the chip. "I need you to make sure this gets to Starfleet."

"Sir…"

"What's your name lieutenant?"

She hesitated for a moment, unsure what to say. The station was under attack, people were dieing, and he wanted to know her name? Shaking her head, she answered the Admiral.

"Lieutenant Rene Hino… sir."

"Lieutenant Hino…" he said, closing his eyes for a moment. "Thank you. Now get that data off this station."

"What about you sir?"

He pulled out a phaser and set it on his desk. It was clear then that he intended to stay no matter what. If the Starbase was going to fall… he was going to make the enemy fight for it. Rene nodded and turned to leave.

"God speed lieutenant."

She stopped at the door for a moment before running back out into the chaos. Her new destination, the main shuttlebay. The only stumbling block might be the fact that she wasn't trained as a shuttle pilot. Rene knew the basics, but that was about it. And the basics weren't going to save her in a combat situation.

The station rocked as something vital was destroyed. Rene struggled to maintain her balance. She was almost to the shuttlebay when one of the aliens blitzed her, slamming the raven-haired lieutenant into a bulkhead. Recovering from the blow, Rene rolled to the side to avoid a devastating punch that actually dented the duranium bulkhead. Lashing out with a leg, Rene managed to trip her attacker before scrambling back to her feet. The alien pushed itself, or herself as it had obvious female features, back up and swung an arm out to catch the lieutenant.

Rene managed to block the strike, her red sleeves clashing with the alien's dark armored wrist. Remembering her hand-to-hand training back at the Academy, Rene took hold of the alien's arm and used her own momentum to send her to the ground again. Before the alien could get up again, a barrage of crimson energy bolts finished it off. Turning to see who had fired, Rene saw a blond woman in a gold uniform with phaser in hand.

"Come on!" she called out, motioning for Rene to follow her.

"Can you fly a shuttle?" Rene asked.

"Had orders to wait for Admiral Negata and his escort. Where's…"

"He stayed behind."

The blond woman nodded slowly before turning towards the shuttle hanger. Rene did explain that the Admiral had given her something to deliver to Starfleet. The blond nodded again, and broke into a sprint towards the nearest shuttle. Rene followed the blond towards a Moore type shuttle. Unlike the Military Shuttles, Moores rested on a pair of nacelles and were a lot more closely related to the shuttles that were used on ships like the _USS Kelvin_ years ago. The blond climbed into the closest, named _Artemis_ , and started powering up the craft. Rene secured the hatch before taking a seat next to the blond. A quick look at her sleeves revealed that she was also a lieutenant.

Just as the blond started up the engines, several aliens entered the hanger. Rene called out a warning, but the blond just gave an almost evil smile.

"Box me in? Ain't happening," she said as the shuttle lifted off from the deck. "lieutenant… I need you to get the hanger doors open."

Rene worked her console, and soon she was rewarded with the massive doors at the end of the hanger sliding apart. Outside… the blackness of space. But they still had to get past the aliens. Sticking her tongue out the side of her mouth, she hit the throttle. The _Artemis_ leapt forward, plowed through the blockade, and shot out the airlock. Rene did a quick sensor sweep, and didn't find anything besides the station.

"Well… so much for a quiet stay at Starbase 24…" the blond sighed.

"Yea… so much for my first posting…" Rene sighed.

"At least we're clear. But the best we can do now is send out a distress call and wait."

Rene looked out the viewport to her right. This was not how she pictured her first assignment going.

"I guess I should introduce myself. Lieutenant Mina Aino."

"Rene Hino," Rene replied.

"Nice to meet you. Were you waiting for a posting on a ship?"

"No… I was assigned to Starbase 24."

"Dang… I was waiting to get picked up by the _Andromeda_. Shuttle delivery as well as new assignment."

Rene continued to look out into space. It was going to be a long wait.

* * *

"I can't believe it… the _Enterprise_?"

She shrugged as she carried her duffel bag. She had just gotten settled in on the _Lexington_ , and then she got slapped with a transfer to the flagship. Brushing some of her blue hair out of her face, she looked over at her long time friend.

"I can't believe it either Mitch. But I guess things happen."

"Ami… It's the frickin' _Enterprise_ we're talking here!"

Lieutenant Amanda "Ami" Anderson rolled her eyes, before stating that the _Enterprise_ was the same class as the _Lexington_. The pair continued to talk until they reached the Transporter Room. There, another woman was already standing on the pad, her red uniform a stark contrast to Ami's blue.

Taking a deep breath, Ami mentally prepared herself. She wasn't used to the weirdness that was Transporter technology. Sure it was a common thing, but being in one place then suddenly being in another was still unnerving at times. Mitch put a hand on her shoulder and wished her luck. Smiling back at him, Ami finally got up onto the Transporter Platform, taking a position on a pad next to the brunette. Shortly after that, Captain Carter came in.

"Came down to see you off lieutenant," Carter said.

"Thanks Captain," Ami replied.

Carter relieved the Transporter tech, and took his place. After a brief farewell, she activated the transporter.

She watched as two columns of light started to coalesce into two women about her age on the pad. It was pretty odd to have sudden transfers in Starfleet, especially two officers from two different ships onto the same ship. The captain stood next to her as she looked at the PADD in her hand again. Her job right now was pretty much just to show the new crew members to their quarters. What she didn't expect was that one of the new officers was actually someone she knew from the Academy. Once the Transporter released them, the pair stepped off the platform.

"Requesting permission to come aboard sir," the blunette said.

"Permission granted. Welcome aboard the _Enterprise_. I'm Captain Kirk."

"Lieutenant Amanda Anderson…" the blunette trailed off as her eyes fell on her. "Serena?"

Lt. Serena Pike smiled and shrugged. Kirk looked between the blunette and Serena, asking if they knew each other.

"Old friends from the Academy sir," Serena replied. The brunette finally introduced herself as Lt. Lita Kino, an engineer from the _Dallas_. After they finished introductions and the usual welcome aboard stuff, Captain Kirk said he had to get back to the Bridge. Serena asked Ami and Lita to follow her.

"I had no idea you were aboard the _Enterprise_ ," Ami finally said as they walked through the corridors.

"Got my assignment after you left for the _Lexington_ ," Serena replied, brushing some of her blond hair out of her face before looking at her PADD. "Ok… Ami… you'll be reporting to Commander Spock at… 0700 tomorrow. Lita… same time, but you'll report to Mr. Scott in Engineering."

* * *

Kirk didn't head straight to the bridge. His first stop was actually his quarters. Sitting at his desk, he pulled up the personnel files for Lt. Anderson and Lt. Kino.

Lt. Amanda Anderson was apparently a gifted Science Officer, who had started out at Starfleet Medical before switching her focus over to science. According to her file… it was the destruction of Vulcan that had gotten her attention. She wanted to know more about how a black hole could be formed artificially. Short version… She was a Science Officer with some Medical training. She'd probably be able to help McCoy down in Sickbay every once in a while.

Lt. Lita Kino… now her file was interesting. A brilliant engineer with a slight… temper problem. She had been disciplined multiple times during her time at the Academy for fights with upperclassmen. However… they always turned out to be in defense of other cadets, especially female cadets getting harassed. Lita was apparently a fighter who wouldn't take any BS from anyone. The only saving grace was the fact that other cadets came to her defense, as well as her ability to improvise rather creative fixes that worked. Her assignment to the _Dallas_ was a result, as the older Akula-class ships were a bit finicky at times. She'd probably thrive down in Engineering with Scotty.

Still… why would two promising officers get transferred so suddenly to the _Enterprise?_

 _"Bridge to Captain Kirk."_

Sighing, he hit the comm. panel on his desk.

"Kirk here."

 _"Captain… priority transmission from Starfleet."_

"I'll take it down here Uhura," Kirk replied before hitting his monitor again. The screen switched from the personnel files to the symbol of the United Federation of Planets, before switching to an image of a rather young looking Admiral… with green hair.

 _"Captain Kirk."_

"Admiral…" Kirk left the greeting hanging as he didn't know this particular Admiral. And why did she look so frickin' young?

 _"Admiral Setsuna Meiou, Starfleet Intelligence,"_ the woman replied. _"Before we get started… have you received new crewmembers recently?"_

"Yea… about half an hour ago…" Kirk replied, confused. Was this Admiral Meiou responsible for their transfers? "Why…"

 _"_ Starbase 24 _was recently attacked by unknown hostiles,"_ Admiral Meiou cut him off, getting straight to the point. _"I want_ Enterprise _to investigate."_

Kirk leaned back in his chair. He asked for details, and got few. He was also told that the new crewmembers maybe of some help as well, which got his attention. She was responsible for the transfers, and had waited until she was sure they were aboard before springing this on him. And there was just something about this woman that seemed… off. Although appearing quite young, hell… in her twenties, he could swear there were a lot more years behind those eyes. But still… an attack on a Federation Starbase was a serious matter.

"We're get right on it Admiral," Kirk finally said.

 _"Find out what happened,"_ Admiral Meiou replied. _"It could be an isolated event… or the prelude to war."_

* * *

After the channel closed, Admiral Meiou leaned back in her chair and pinched the bridge of her nose. Some days she actually wondered why she did what she did. She could tell Kirk was suspicious of her. He just didn't know how right he was. Shaking her head, Setsuna pulled up the personnel files of the people she had found. If she was right… the Federation would need them. Lieutenants Amanda Anderson, Lita Kino, and Serena Pike. The last one surprised her. Serenity had been a bit of a klutz long ago. Now… she is the daughter of a respected and decorated Starfleet Admiral, Christopher Pike. It was amazing the similarities these women had to their past lives. Her aide came in with a PADD in his hand.

"Admiral… we've located two more individuals who match your profile," he said, handing the PADD to her. She smiled as she looked at the files. If she was right… she just found the core team. Lieutenant Rene Hino and Lieutenant Mina Aino.

"Great work Wayland. Where are they now?"

Lt. Wayland sighed and looked down at her desk.

"Starbase 24 ma'am. Lt. Hino was assigned to the station while Lt. Aino was awaiting a transfer to _USS Andromeda_ to deliver a new Moore type shuttle."

Swearing under her breath, Setsuna tossed the PADD onto her desk. Things were already falling apart.

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: I was orignially inspired to try this story after playing the game _Star Trek_. There was also another story that had Serena as Pike's daughter that I thought was well done, but was never finished.

Now... to the details. I decided Setsuna Meiou would fit in pretty good as an Admiral, and there is a reason she is with Starfleet Intelligence, which will be revealed later in the story. For the main team... Naturally Serena would be in Command with Ami in Science. Rene (Or Rei in canon, can change that if everyone would prefer. Just ask in review) I put in Security, Lita in Engineering, and Mina in Operations/Command. Having Mina as a shuttle pilot might be a bit odd, but I needed a pilot. Lita as an engineer kinda felt right because of her stubborn streak.

Thank you for giving this story a chance, review, and I'll see you guys next chapter!  
*Beams out*


	2. Gather the Pieces

Chapter 2

Gather the Pieces

"ETA to Starbase 24, three hours."

"Thank you Mr. Sulu," Kirk replied as he leaned back in the Captain's chair. "Spock, get me everything we have on the Starbase."

Ami kept an ear open as she worked on her console. Whatever was going on, it was serious. She linked her console with the Commander's to see what he was pulling up, and discovered information about a Federation Starbase. It was one of the new stations that looked like a mushroom in design.

"Lt. Anderson…"

Ami blinked, and saw Commander Spock looking at her.

"Sorry sir," she replied before returning to what she was doing.

"Would you mind if I asked a personal question?"

Ami blinked before responding that she wouldn't. The Vulcan then inquired about her hair color, stating that blue was not natural for humans.

"It is if you're from Beta Proxima. Something about the environment added some hair colors," Ami replied. "Its actually not that strange to see people with everything from blue to green as well as the more common colors."

Kirk had been listening in on the conversation and thought about Admiral Meiou. She had green hair. Shrugging, he just figured she was also from Beta Proxima and left it at that. It wasn't long before Spock reported on the results of his search. It made the situation more unusual, as Starbase 24 was deep within Federation Space. Any kind of attack on it would require a fleet of ships. There was also the question of _who_ was behind the attack. Klingons? Prime suspect, but there hadn't been any activity along the border. Romulans? Again… no activity along the border. Tholians? They never ventured beyond _their_ borders. That was going to bother him until they got there.

Serena hung back as she observed the Captain. She had another report to give him. His posture indicated something was bothering him. Probably something to do with the current assignment.

"Captain?" She finally spoke up. Kirk turned to face her, and Serena handed over the PADD. He looked over it and handed it back.

"Thank you lieutenant," he replied before returning his attention to the viewscreen. Unlike usual, he didn't sound like he was trying to be pleasant. He was all business right now. With a shrug, Serena returned to her own station.

 _What's bothering him?_ She thought.

* * *

Rene yawned as she stretched in her seat. The _Artemis_ wasn't exactly designed for long term use. Just get people from point A to point B. In that regard, the _Artemis_ was perfect. Heck… Mina apparently made a few tweaks to her RCS thrusters to squeeze out a bit more maneuverability out of the shuttle. The problem came in the fact that the shuttle had never been intended for comfort. The seats were comfortable enough to sit in, but not for an extended period. It had almost been seven hours since the attack. Rene had asked about the name of the shuttle. The blond replied that it was her idea, and that it just seemed right.

Speaking of the blond… Mina was sound asleep in her chair. Apparently she was unaffected by how uncomfortable the seats can get over time. Rene had also learned that her full name was Minako, but went by Mina for short. If Rene had to guess… she was experienced at taking naps in uncomfortable places. Finally having enough, the raven-haired woman stood up and stretched as best as she could.

The shuttle's computer blasted a warning. Something was coming, and fast. Mina was jolted awake, and instantly started running a scan of the area.

"How do you do that?" Rene asked.

"Practice," Mina replied. "Vessel approaching at high warp. Arrival in three… two… one…"

A distant flash of light appeared, and a massive, white ship streaked into existence. Rene could only look at it in awe. The design was clearly Federation, which made her feel better.

"One of ours alright," Mina confirmed. "Federation Transponder. Looks like one of the new Connies."

"Connie?"  
"Constitution class," Mina clarified. "And… wow…"

Rene looked out to see what she was reacting too, and gasped. Coming into view was the dorsal hull, and on display for all the universe to see:

 **NCC-1701**

"That's… _Enterprise_ …" Mina gaped in awe. Sure enough… also displayed was the name _U.S.S. Enterprise_. Rene had heard of this ship. The only vessel that stood between Earth and the madman Nero's doomsday ship _Narada_. Jumping back into her seat, Rene suggested that they contact her. Before Mina could react, the shuttle reported that they were being hailed.

" _Enterprise…_ This is shuttle _Artemis_ ," Mina replied. "Requesting permission to come aboard."

 _"Permission Granted_ Artemis _,"_ It sounded like a woman was on the other side. And frankly… it made both women feel better. _"What's your status?"_

"Tired and a little hungry. Two survivors from Starbase 24 on board counting myself. And we are happy to see you _Enterprise_."

 _"We'll have a medical team standing by in the shuttle bay."_

* * *

Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy watched as the shuttle came to rest. Jim had said to make sure they were all right before debriefing. And damn it, he was going to make sure they were. The new kid… Lt. Anderson, stood next to him. From what he heard, the blunette had some medical training. Maybe he could pry her away from the pointy-eared bastard…

The shuttle hatch opened, and two women about Anderson's age came out. McCoy ran up to them and pulled out his tricorder. The raven-haired woman showed evidence of close combat. Bruising on her back, probably from getting thrown around or something, and bruising on her forearms, which could indicate defensive wounds. The blond was in better shape.

"Lets get you down to Medbay," McCoy finally said.

"Can I also get a burger?" the blond asked. "Or at least a sandwich?"

"We'll see," Lt. Anderson replied before McCoy could.

* * *

"And that's it sir," Lt. Hino finished her report. Kirk crossed his arms across his chest as he processed the information. After getting the all clear from Bones, he was down in Medbay debriefing the survivors. Lt. Aino's report wasn't as complete due to having stayed in the vicinity of the shuttlebay. Lt. Hino… had been in the thick of it. When asked about the datachip, she pulled it out of her boot and handed it over. She indicated that she was ordered by Admiral Negata to deliver it to Starfleet Command.

"And you saw no evidence of any ships around the Starbase when you escaped?" he asked.

"None sir," Hino replied.

" _Artemis_ sensor logs can confirm that," Aino replied.

"I already got Scotty going over that shuttle with a fine tooth comb," Kirk stated. "In the meantime… I think you two just got an emergency posting aboard _Enterprise_ for the duration. As soon as Bones says you can go, we'll get you some quarters."

"Thank you sir," Both Hino and Aino said. That done, the Captain decided to check into this datachip. Just as he stepped out the door he heard Aino ask a question.

"Who's Scotty and who's Bones?"

He fingered the datachip as he looked over the personnel files for the two women they picked up. Lt. Rene Hino was apparently a Security Officer with advanced combat training. Her background as a Miko surprised him, considering he wasn't really familiar with Japanese traditions. When he saw that her first assignment was actually Starbase 24, he felt sorry for her. Fresh out of the Academy, and she already lost her posting.

Lt. Minako Aino was trained as a shuttle pilot, and certified on everything from workbees to the new Hornet fighters. She was also apparently one of the test pilots who _worked_ on the Hornet project. Sulu might have some competition with her around. And according to her file… she was half British. She had been awaiting a posting on the _Andromeda_.

After a moment, he inserted the datachip into the console in front of him and tried to access the data. If it was important enough to get off the station…

His Security Clearance wasn't high enough.

Stonewalled.

"Figures…" Kirk muttered. "Maybe Spock can crack it…"

He pulled the datachip out and set it aside for the moment. They still had a job to do. There had been no evidence of enemy activity since they arrived. He'd file a report with Starfleet after going over to investigate the station.

"Uhura, have Spock, Dr. McCoy, and our new girls meet me in the Transporter Room," he called out over the intercom.

* * *

Why they were asked to come along… Serena didn't know. But here she was, with Lita and Ami, armed with Phasers. The two new girls, Rene and Mina, were looking a little anxious. Not surprising, considering they had come from the Starbase to begin with. It wasn't long before they were joined by Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. The Doctor had a medkit slung over his shoulder.

"There's lotsa damage over there Captain," Mr. Scott said. Serena always liked that Scottish accent of his. "A few areas are inaccessible, but I _should_ be able t' put you down relatively close to Ops."

"Thanks Scotty," Kirk replied as he checked his Phaser before stepping up onto the pad. Spock and McCoy soon followed, McCoy muttering about having his molecules scrambled. Serena soon took her place on the pad, along with Ami and Lita. Rene and Mina took the center of the pad. A quick look by Kirk to see if everyone was ready, and the word was given.

"Energize."

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: As everyone knows, hair colors in anime tend to be a lot more vibrant and varried than in real life, unless you color your hair. In my research, nowhere did it say that Ami died her hair, which indicates that it may in fact be natural. However... with this being a Star Trek crossover... an explanation was kinda needed. So I borrowed a page from an episode of Stargate SG-1. The character of Jonas Quinn was a human, but not from Earth. Later found out that the time his people spent on another planet had an effect on his genetic code. So... same idea here, but not quite as long term I guess. Ami being from Beta Proxima explains her natural blue hair.

Mina being half british came from something I saw where apparently in canon somewhere, Mina Aino had been in Brittain at some point before the events of the show. So this is a bit of a nod to that. Again, explaining her piloting skill which would apparently rival Haruka's driving... I needed a pilot.

Naming the shuttle _Artemis_ is a nod to the cat himself, seeing as how Mina pilots that particular shuttle and in canon Artemis is with Mina.


	3. Return to Starbase 24

Chapter 3

Return to Starbase 24

"I still can't get used to that…" Ami muttered as soon as the Transporter released her. Taking a look around, she saw a war zone. She turned to look at Rene, and noticed that the raven-haired woman was tense. She felt sorry for her, as she knew that Starbase 24 had been her very first assignment.

"Lt. Hino,' Kirk spoke up. "You know this place better than us. Where's Ops?"

"Thi… this way sir," Hino stuttered. Ami put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. She gave the blunette a smile before leading the away team down the corridor. On the way, they discovered the remains of several starbase crewmembers. McCoy swore under his breath after examining one.

"Jim… this man was blasted by something we've never seen before. Almost like…" the doctor trailed off.

"Like what Bones?"

"I don't know… a fireball?"

Kirk thought for a moment. Something about this wasn't adding up. And once again… the identity of the attackers eluded them. Calling for the team to move on, Kirk motioned for Rene to continue to lead.

Once they arrived at Ops, Rene froze for a moment before running over towards a particular body, one wearing a gold uniform.

"Oh god…" she gasped. "Its Captain Winters…"

McCoy went over to examine the body while Ami and Spock got to work on the computer. Serena closed her eyes and turned away for a moment. There was so much death around them. Starbase 24 was the equivalent of a ghost town now. Nothing left but spirits and memories. But with luck… the computer would have something useful.

"Lt. Kino, I require your assistance," Spock said suddenly.

The resident brunette snapped out of her daze when confronted with all the death and moved over to the Vulcan. Once she got a look at the console, she dove underneath and pried open a panel.

"If I'm right, there may be some damage to the EPS conduits. I might be able to bypass, but it won't be pretty," Lita said.

"See what you can do lieutenant," Spock replied. "As long as this console is malfunctioning, we cannot guarantee the integrity of any data we gather from it."

"I'll try another console," Ami spoke up before starting the hunt for a functional console. After a few minutes, she found a working console and managed to gain access to the station's sensor logs. What she found didn't make any sense. At the time of the attack… there were no ships present around Starbase 24. Unless another species discovered Mr. Scott's Transwarp Beaming formula… there was no reason for all these deaths. Switching from external logs to internal didn't make things any easier for her. Massive energy spikes, followed by what looked like portals opening up all over the station. Boarded without a known source, the crew of Starbase 24 had no hope of repelling the attackers. Downloading the data into her Tricorder, Ami reported her findings.

Lita finished her "Duct Tape Special" and got the console working again. She actually cannibalized components from the next console over, which was damaged beyond repair, and jury-rigged a stable power connection. By the time she had finished, the sleeves of her red uniform were covered in grime. Being an engineer, Lita didn't care at all. After all… if something's dirty… you know its been in use. That's what she loved about serving aboard the _Dallas_ , she was not a clean ship. You could get your hands dirty working on something. _Enterprise_ … was too clean for her. Some areas looked like the ship just came out of the shipyard. Of course she knew better, considering the kind of damage _Enterprise_ took at Vulcan. But still…

"Thank you lieutenant," Spock said as he started accessing the console.

"Anytime Commander," Lita replied, wiping her hands on her uniform skirt.

After a moment, Spock raised an eyebrow and uttered the one word that always got attention.

"Fascinating…"

"What'cha got Spock?" Kirk asked.

"Besides corroborating Lt. Anderson's findings… it appears as though the attackers attempted to access the station's computer regarding force deployments and strength of the 'Lunarian Kingdom'."

McCoy had a confused look on his face, along with Serena, Mina, and Ami.

"'Lunarian Kingdom?" McCoy asked. "Who the hell do these people think we are? Sounds like a serious case of mistaken identity if you ask me."

"The attack on the Starbase indicates otherwise Doctor," Spock countered. "They knew exactly what they were doing."

"But I've never heard of this Lunarian Kingdom before," Serena spoke up. "And why attack a Federation Starbase and data mine for information on some random Kingdom?"

Mina thought for a moment. For some reason, the idea of a Lunar Kingdom seemed familiar to her. But why her brain connected Lunarian with Earth's Moon made no sense. Sure she was from Armstrong City on the Moon, but still…

Shaking her head, Mina ran a hand through her blond hair. It was then that something caught her eye. Walking over to the Master Systems Display, Mina tapped her finger on one particular area of the station.

Noticing what Lt. Aino was doing, Serena walked over and took a look for herself.

"Captain," she called out. "Commander. You two should take a look at this."

The two officers approached and also noticed what Mina was looking at. Right where the blond had her finger was a flashing icon, centered several decks down.

"Hm…" Kirk mused before finally making a decision. "Pike, take the girls down there and investigate. Spock, Bones, we're gonna keep looking around. Maintain contact, and don't do anything stupid. That's kinda my job."

"Aye sir. Anderson, Kino, Hino, Aino… lets go," Serena called out. The girls followed the blond out of Ops. As soon as they were out of earshot, McCoy had to say something.

"Way to encourage them Jim," the doctor said, sticking a finger in Kirk's face. "Now they will do something stupid."

"What?" Kirk asked defensively. "Reckless plans come with the job!"

"Considering you are violating several Starfleet Regulations…"

"Now we're splitting hairs," Kirk cut off his first officer. "We got work to do."

* * *

Phasers held at the ready, the female contingent of the away team made their way deeper into the Starbase. Several times, Rene reacted to seeing one body or another. Most likely people she got to know during her time here. Serena knew it couldn't be easy for the raven-haired woman to be here so soon after the attack. Amy followed close behind, Tricorder in hand and actively scanning for… well… anything. Lita held her phaser in a two handed grip, swinging the weapon into position at each intersection, weapon following her gaze.

Finally, Rene stopped in front of a particular office. Her phaser held loosely as she looked at the remains of the door.

"You alright?" Serena asked.

"This was Admiral Negata's office," Rene replied, before stepping inside. The rest of the team followed her inside. It wasn't long before Rene fell to her knees. They found the Admiral. He was collapsed on the floor off to the side of his desk and obviously dead. Ami walked over to him and checked the body.

"Cause of death looks like… stabbed in the back with a bladed weapon. Maybe a sword or something similar based on the size of the wound," she sighed, before pointing at the phaser on the ground next to him, then at the burns on the bulkhead near the door. "But I think he didn't go down without a fight. Whatever attacked him must have been fast."

"They were," Rene sighed. "Humanoid. And all the hostiles I saw were female."

"The one I shot off Rene was female," Mina added. "And wearing some kind of armor. Didn't help much against a phaser though."

Lita was busy working on the Admiral's console, looking for anything useful. She called them over after finding some unusual files. Calling one of them up, they discovered… Rene's personnel file? What was even more confusing was that it was marked with the astrological symbol for Mars. Bringing up another file, the girls discovered a recorded message, a conversation between Admiral Negata and some Admiral Meiou. Lita hit the play button.

 _"I don't know what you're looking for Admiral Meiou… let alone why this information is vital to Starfleet Intelligence…"_

 _"Takeru… How long have we known each other?"_

 _"Seems like forever Setsuna. And I swear you haven't aged a_ day _since I first met you at the Academy."_

 _"Long story. Anyways… I really need your help on this TK."_

 _"I've already flagged one personnel file I believe matches the profile you sent me. I'm looking at another right now. I'll send them both soon."_

 _"Two files?"_

 _"Yes Setsuna. Two files. I hope you find what you're looking for."_

 _"So do I TK. So do I. The fate of the Federation may rest on it."_

 _"That bad?"_

 _"Yes… that bad. I can't go into specifics, but… I have this feeling…"_

 _"That's never a good sign."_

 _"Bite me TK. Anyways… I just have this feeling something's coming. Something terrible. If_ anything _happens out there…"_

 _"You'll be the first to know Setsuna."_

"Who was that?" Mina asked.

"The recording identified her as Admiral Setsuna Meiou," Lita chirped. "And apparently… She's with Intel. Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Because an Admiral Meiou signed our transfer orders," Ami replied, crossing her arms across her chest. "But… what is she looking for?"

"Yea," Serena finally chimed in. "And why would the fate of the Federation rely on what it is?"

Rene remained silent. For once, she was wishing she was back home at the shrine. Although seemingly archaic, consulting the Sacred Fire might have revealed something. Or… just burned wood. Shaking her head, she pointed out another file. Lita accessed it. The file was a recording, complete with video. The timestamp put it at the time of the attack.

 _Admiral Negata looked up as the door to his office opened. A young lieutenant came in, phaser in hand._

 _"Admiral, we gotta go now sir."_

 _Negata shook his head as he finished what he was working on. He then pulled a datachip out of the console._

 _"Lieutenant… I'll only slow you down," he said as he handed the woman the datachip. "I need you to make sure this gets to Starfleet."_

 _"Sir…"_

 _"What's your name lieutenant?"_

 _The young woman hesitated before shaking her head._

 _"Lt. Rene Hino… sir."_

 _"Lt. Hino… Thank you. Now get that data off this station."_

 _"What about you sir?"_

 _Negata reached down into a drawer and pulled out a phaser. He set it on the desk in front of him. He was staying. The young woman turned to leave after seeing this. It was clear she didn't want to abandon the flag officer though._

 _"God speed lieutenant."_

 _The young woman stopped at the door in response before leaving._

"Just like I remember it," Rene sighed.

"Looks like there's more," Lita said as she pointed at the screen. She had skipped ahead about five minutes.

 _Negata had finished recording a message when the door to his office was destroyed. A female figure entered the room, wielding a wicked looking black katana. Negata stood up, taking hold of the phaser as he did so._

 _"I don't know who you are…" Negata said._

 _"So… history has forgotten us has it?" the intruder said, running a hand through her jet-black hair._

"You attacked us, unprovoked. That alone could be considered an Act of War against…"

 _"An Act?" the intruder scoffed. "You Lunarians… we do not_ act _. We_ do _. Your precious Kingdom will fall before our might."_

 _"I think you've confused us for someone else."_

 _"Oh no… we have not. Earth will fall, along with your precious Moon and all the other planets in the Sol System. You may have exiled Queen Beryl long ago and forgotten about her, but rest assured, she has_ not _forgotten about you."_

 _Negata tightened his grip on his phaser._

 _"You won't get away with this attack," Negata growled._

 _"Oh… you poor little human… this war… has only begun."_

 _Negata brought the phaser up and fired. The intruder jumped to the side as crimson bolts flew at her. A few were actually deflected by her katana before she charged at the Admiral. Negata managed to jump back, but was soon spun around with a well-placed kick. A few seconds later, the intruder had her blade embedded in the Admiral's back._

 _"Pathetic…" the intruder cooed._

 _"Go… to hell…" Negata gasped._

 _"You first human," the intruder hissed as she withdrew her sword from his back. Negata fell to the ground his, phaser landing next to him._

 _"This is but the first of many," the intruder declared. "The Lunarian Kingdom will burn! The Dark Kingdom shall reign supreme!"_

Lita stopped the recording.

"Ok… what the _hell_ was that?" Serena asked.

"Not a clue," Ami replied, adopting a thoughtful pose. "This… Dark Kingdom… apparently intends to go to war with the Federation for some past transgression. Problem is… what?"  
"And why refer to the Federation as the Lunarian Kingdom?" Rene asked. "They obviously are familiar with the planets in Sol System. Shouldn't they be familiar with the dominant superpower of the region?"

"Something doesn't add up though," Mina chimed in. "Who is this Beryl? And what's her beef with the Moon of all places? They're making it sound as if it's the center of the universe or something."

Ami shook her head before downloading the recording. They had to get this back to Starfleet. They still didn't have all the answers, but they did have an ID on the power behind the attack. The Dark Kingdom. The only problem was… who were they? Ami ran through the neighboring superpowers in her head. Klingon Empire, Romulan Star Empire, Tholian Assembly, Cardassian Union… none of them fit what they saw. The Cardassians and Tholians especially didn't fit due to distance. They didn't look like Klingons, and the ears were longer than a Romulan's, not to mention the bronze skin and dark armor.

"We should keep moving," Serena finally said. "We still got to find the source of those readings we got in Ops."

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: Main purpose of this chapter was to establish the identity of the hostile faction. I especially wanted to showcase the confusion on who was responsible for the attack because Starfleet has no record of anything like the Youma, so naturally... WTF is going on and who are they? Also wanted to show that Admiral Negata had been in contact with Admiral Meiou before the events of chapter one.

Mentioning the known factions around the Federation also kinda helped to try and set where the Starbase is. If anyone plays _Star Trek Online_ , its in the same location in the Beta Quadrant as Starbase 24 fleet action site, so pretty deep in Federation territory. Listing the Cardassian Union as well was because a Cardassian drink was mentioned in the 2009 _Star Trek_ , indicating that there was at least _some_ contact between the Federation and Cardassia back then, at least in the Alternate Universe of the reboot movies.


	4. Shot in the Dark

Chapter 4

Shot in the Dark

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"That looks like one of our ships. With luck, they'll find us."

"We don't know that for sure."

"It is one of ours. Constitution class I believe."

"Henry…"

"Hey… at least I kept up with new designs."

"Can it _both_ of you."

"Sorry…"

"Sorry Rika…"

* * *

Ami checked her tricorder again. She was picking up something down the corridor. Motioning in that direction, she led the way towards a closed door. Serena approached the door, only to get blocked by not only a door that refused to open, but a force field as well. The blond looked at the door and saw that it was one of the Science Labs.

"Guess somebody didn't want guests," She said as she poked the energy barrier in front of the door. "Lita, think you can disable this?"

The fiery brunette just cracked her knuckles before heading over to a panel on the bulkhead, prying it off and revealing power conduits and various other things that only an engineer could make sense of. After several minutes, the force field blocking the door flared before fizzling out. The door… still wouldn't open. Grunting under her breath Serena leaned against the bulkhead.

"Any ideas guys?" she asked.

* * *

"Oh crap… Force field's down," Ensign Henry Wong reported.

"Fix it!" a redheaded lieutenant snapped, grabbing a phaser rifle.

"I can't. I think the power was cut."

"Henry…"

"I'm working on…"

A knock was heard. The redhead snapped her rifle up, aimed at the door. Another knock came. The redhead slowly approached the door before nodding at Henry and his friend. Both ensigns grabbed phasers and aimed at the door, Henry moving over to the emergency access panel. They had sabotaged the door to try and protect themselves and a few other survivors, so the only way to open the door was with a manual override. Opening the panel, Henry grabbed the lever and looked at the lieutenant. Once she nodded, he started pumping the lever. The door slid apart slightly, enough to shove the business end of the redhead's rifle out into the face of whoever was on the other side. That turned out to be a rather surprised raven-haired woman.

"Rene?"  
"Rika?"

"Henry, open the door."

After some work, the door was open, and Lt. Rika Nonaka pulled Rene into a one armed hug.

"Good to see you're still in one piece," Rika said.

"Nice to see you too Rika," Rene replied.

"Who are your friends?" Henry asked.

"Lt. Serena Pike _, USS Enterprise_ ," Serena introduced herself.

"Told you it was one of ours Takato."

"Shut it."

Ami waited for the two ensigns to stop arguing. Luckily, that wasn't long as the redhead snapped at them. Apparently they were friends, as this came across as a common occurrence to her. Once introductions were finished Mina asked about the reading from Ops. Henry said that after he saw the _Enterprise_ , he tried triggering a false Fire Alarm to alert a rescue team to their location. When that didn't work, he started trying to trigger any kind of alert he could. Rika revealed that there were a few more survivors holed up with them, most injured. The blunette made a point to check all of them before pulling out her communicator.

"Anderson to _Enterprise_. We've got survivors, requesting beam out and a medical team to be on standby. We have injured."

" _Understood. Standby for transport."_

As the transporter took hold of the survivors, Rene gave a quick farewell to her friend and fellow security officer. Once they were alone, Serena suggested returning to Ops.

"Pike to Captain Kirk. We found the source. Survivors. They've been beamed back to _Enterprise_."

" _Thanks for the heads up lieutenant,"_ came the reply. _"We're heading back to Ops. We'll meet you there."_

"Copy that Captain. Pike out."

* * *

They approached the Lunarian station, ready to send a message to the humans. It had taken time to find them. The first attack neutralized the crew. Now they were going to destroy the station itself. Although it would have been easier, and made more sense, to open a rift in the same system, their queen had decided that it would be best to send them through farther out.

What they didn't count on was another ship being present. The Commander looked at the data they were getting, along with the image of the ship itself. Gleaming white hull, an almost majestic presence at this angle…

The most prominent feature on this vessel was the large saucer, followed by the nacelles behind it, all mounted to a secondary hull. It didn't even _look_ like a warship to her.

They continued their silent approach.

* * *

As soon as the away team returned, Kirk was notified of the unknown vessel. Followed by Spock, Serena, and Ami, Kirk made his way to the Bridge.

"Report," he ordered.

"Unknown wessel closing slowly Keptain," Chekov replied. "The design does not match anything on record."

"I think we surprised them by being here sir," Sulu added. "They actually slowed down as soon as they saw us."

Spock and Ami went for their stations as Kirk slid into his chair. Serena just watched the viewscreen as the unknown continued its approach. Uhura reported that they have yet to respond to hails. Serena hung back, unsure of what to do. Something about that ship made her nervous. As Kirk observed the unknown, he seemed to consider his options. Finally, he made a decision.

"Shields up," he ordered. "Spock, I want a full sensor scan of that thing. Uhura, keep trying to hail them."

"Captain… I believe I am detecting a power spike…"

Spock was cut off as the ship suddenly lurched. Reacting to the attack, alarm klaxons went off as the _Enterprise_ automatically switched to Red Alert. Serena grabbed onto a handrail and braced herself as the ship once again lurched to the side.

"Evasive Action! Spock! What the hell was that?"

"Directed energy weapon, unknown type. They appear to be comparable to our phasers in power."

"Great… Chekov, return fire!"

The _Enterprise_ dove under the now hostile vessel as bolts of golden fury leapt from the unknown. Several scored hits, causing the starship's shields to flare in response. In retaliation, crimson bolts lanced out from the _Enterprise_ spearing the attacker's shields. Sulu's hands flew across the helm controls as he made the _Enterprise_ go from unwieldy looking ship to a graceful dancer. To him, flying a starship was an art form.

Swinging around, the Constitution class vessel unleashed another devastating barrage of phaser fire. The enemy vessel struck back with more golden bolts, along with something new. What could only be described as a fireball shot out from the enemy and slammed directly into the bridge.

The blast sent sparks flying as a portion of Chekov's console exploded, throwing the ensign backwards. Serena leapt into action and checked on the young Russian.

"I'm alright," he protested as he levered himself up to a sitting position.

"The hell you are," she replied. "Ami, get him down to Medbay."

The blunette stumbled as another volley struck the _Enterprise_ , but managed to stay on her feet. Once Ami had Chekov moving towards the turbolift Serena jumped into the now vacant chair at tactical. It took her a moment to orient herself with the damaged console, but at least it was still functional.

"Lieutenant, you sure you can…" Kirk started to ask.

"I got this sir," Serena cut him off. "Sulu… get me an angle. I'm gonna try and take out that weapon before it hits us again."

Instead of responding, Sulu just went back to work maneuvering the massive 366-meter vessel. Serena opened fire as the enemy vessel came into view. Sticking her tongue out the corner of her mouth, the blond watched for an opening. Another fireball flew at them, but this time Sulu managed to pull away in time and the blast sailed harmlessly between the warp nacelles. But the attack revealed a critical weakness. A portion of the enemy's shields had to drop to actually use that weapon. Spock apparently noticed this as well, as he started feeding data to Serena's console.

There was a definite charge up before the fireball weapon fired. As soon as the shield dropped to fire, Serena unleashed hell. Crimson fury poured into the vulnerable section of the enemy vessel, followed by several photon torpedoes. The weapon overloaded and exploded, unable to release its stored energy. The enemy ship's shields fluctuated before dropping entirely.

"Target their engines," Kirk ordered.

Once again, the _Enterprise_ bared her teeth, unleashing another torrent of phaser fire. Silver torpedoes flew out and added to the devastation.

"Uhura… hail them now," Kirk said as the _Enterprise_ swung around. It was obvious they got lucky. Both sides didn't know each other's capabilities, and _Enterprise_ came out on top thanks to the skill of her crew. Uhura turned and reported that the channel was open.

"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the _USS Enterprise_. Your ship has been disabled. Stand down and prepare to be boarded."

The viewscreen came to life, revealing a humanoid female. Although appearing injured, she had a defiant look on her face.

 _"You dare give us orders?"_ she growled. _"Your kingdom will fall before us."_

"I take it you're the same people who attacked Starbase 24?"

 _"The first of many victories against you Lunarians."_

"This doesn't have to end in bloodshed…"

 _"Oh yes it does. YOUR blood will spill. YOUR energy will feed us. YOUR people will bow before Queen Beryl."_

"I don't think so. And we don't represent a kingdom. We represent the United Federation of Planets. Now stand down. Its over."

 _"You obviously no nothing of Youma. We_ never _surrender."_

With that, the channel closed. The enemy ship just drifted in front of them before it started to turn.

"I thought we took out their engines?" Kirk asked.

"It appears they have a redundant propulsion system," Spock reported. "I believe they intend to ram us."

"Sulu hard to starboard. Pike… give 'em everything we got."

"Aye sir."

"With pleasure."

As the _Enterprise_ banked to the right, crimson fury rained down onto the enemy ship. Explosions raked across its hull as phaser fire ripped into it until the main reactor finally gave out and tore the vessel apart in a massive fireball. _Enterprise_ came about as if the ship herself was savoring the victory. Her captain, however, knew that this victory was nothing compared to what the enemy captain had said. With a sigh, Kirk leaned back in his chair.

"Stand down Red Alert," he ordered. "Uhura, contact Starfleet Command. Advise them of our situation and request instructions. I'm afraid that as of now… the Federation may be at war."

* * *

"Admiral… we just got a report from _Enterprise_."

Setsuna looked up from her desk at Lt. Wayland. She motioned for him to proceed.

"They've secured Starbase 24, and rescued nine survivors. Two of which were in a shuttle."

Setsuna closed her eyes. Nine people, out of hundreds that were aboard the space station. Her eyes snapped open when her aide mentioned who had been aboard the shuttle.

"Who did you say was…"

"Lt. Rene Hino and Lt. Minako Aino, ma'am. Captain Kirk has placed them on temporary assignment to _Enterprise_. Also… they've reported contact with an unknown vessel that turned hostile. The enemy ship was destroyed and _Enterprise_ only suffered minor damage."

Again, Setsuna closed her eyes. She had a feeling as to who the ship belonged to.

"Contact the _Intrepid_ and have them set course for Starbase 24. In the meantime… I want _Enterprise_ back in Sol System ASAP."

Lt. Wayland turned and left Setsuna's office. As soon as she was sure that no one was going to walk in on her, the green haired woman reached into her desk and pulled out an ornate looking stick. Running her finger over the symbol for Pluto, she smiled.

"Haven't seen you do that in a long time."

Setsuna looked at the source of the voice, a black cat with a rather unique mark on her head.

"I haven't had a reason to Luna," she said. The cat, now identified as Luna, jumped up onto the Admiral's desk and sat down.

"You sure these people are _them?_ "

"I don't know for sure. But I will once I meet them in person."

Luna scratched herself behind one of her ears before looking out the window at San Francisco Bay.

"Why they were reborn now and not two hundred years ago like we thought…"

"I don't know either," Setsuna sighed. "And that's what's bothering me. They were supposed to be born into the 20th Century. But instead…"

"Here in the 23rd," Luna finished.

"Yes… and I can't help but wonder if that Romulan had something to do with it."

"Nero? We know he came back in time from the late 24th Century. Why would an event here have an effect on the past?"

"Time is a fickle thing Luna. Perhaps… this was Time's way of trying to fix the damage caused by Nero."

"The fact you couldn't trash Nero and the _Narada_ yourself must drive you nuts Pluto."

Setsuna just rolled her eyes. But Luna was right. As she was sworn to preserve the timeline, having a rogue element from the future come back and destroy the _USS_ _Kelvin_ made her very angry. If not for the Klingons capturing the ship after she was disabled by the _Kelvin's_ kamikaze attack… she would have gone to that sector herself and… _removed_ the _Narada_ from history. And when the _Narada_ turned up again years later, she was more than willing to take matters into her own hands. But once again, fate intervened, and the _Narada_ was ultimately destroyed by the _Enterprise_. The damage was done however. Vulcan was destroyed. An entire planet… gone. Because she failed. Tightening her grip on her Transformation Pen, Setsuna stood up and walked over to the window. She really didn't like wearing her Admiral's uniform, but it was now a part of who she was. When Starfleet was founded, she helped lay the groundwork for the Intelligence branch. She had watched as Johnathan Archer set out in the NX class _Enterprise_. She watched in horror as the Xindi launched an attack that would send Starfleet's finest into the Delphic Expanse. She had been there at the start of the Earth-Romulan War. She had been there when the Federation was founded in 2161…

Although history would never know what she had done, Setsuna had helped lay down the foundation for a brighter future. Now here she was, waiting for the return of the best hope for the Federation. And it just might be aboard a ship that was gaining a reputation for beating the odds. But her captain… was going to be a problem. If these women were in fact who Setsuna believed they were…

"I think I have an idea…"

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: The idea of giving the Youma ship a redundant system came from the idea that Youma were pretty tough themselves. Just like any species, Youma would design their ships to follow something cultural. Klingons favor fighting ships, the Federation favors well rounded multi mission ships, Romulans like birds, Youma make tough ships.

Having the Digimon Tamers make a cameo was mostly just... I needed people for the opening of this chapter and I kinda like the back and forth between them.

This chapter also shows how Pluto has been an important, if carefully hidden, figure in the Federation since day one. As the Guardian of Time, naturally she would be able to pull something like this off. I also wanted to start to show how the events of the '09 _Star Trek_ affected her as a person. I mean... think about it. If you're the Guardian of Time... having someone rip Time a new one and you were unable to do anything about it would have an affect on you.


	5. Forgotten Legacy

Chapter 5

Forgotten Legacy

The _Enterprise_ dropped out of warp near Mars with a jolt. Kirk looked around the bridge in confusion. Normally the transition back to sublight speed was smooth. Not to mention they dropped out just short of their destination, Earth.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

"Warp power was cut from Engineering sir," Sulu replied as the turbolift doors opened, allowing Rene to step onto the bridge. Serena and Ami looked over at her, just as confused as the Captain. Kirk didn't notice the new arrival and poked at some controls on his chair.

"Kirk to Engineering. Scotty, what's going on down there?"

 _"Ah… sorry Capt'n. One of th' Injector Assemblies was knocked outa alignment. If I didn'a pull the plug…"_

 _"Lets just say we'd need more than a fresh coat of paint."_

 _"Thank you Lita. Can I get back to talkin'?"_

"Sorry Mr. Scott. I'll go back to realigning the Injector. Keenser! Where's that Wrench?"

"Wrench?" Kirk asked. "Do I even want to know?"

 _"Ach… Lt. Kino's a little rough with the machinery. I can understand, considering she came off an Akula class. And don't tell her this… but I kinda like the lass and her hands on attitude to engineering."_

"I'll keep that in mind Mr. Scott," Kirk replied with a chuckle. "Just make sure she doesn't break anything."

 _"Can do sir."_

Rene walked over by Sulu and just looked out at the view of Mars. For some reason… she felt drawn to the planet. Sulu looked up at her and smiled.

"Should be coming up on Utopia Planitia soon," he said. "Ever seen the shipyards lieutenant?"

"No I haven't," Rene replied, eyes glued to the vieewscreen. "Might have seen the San Francisco Yards when I shipped out. But not Utopia Planitia."

Serena soon joined Rene by the Helm and put a hand on her shoulder. Word had come up from Medbay that Chekov would be fine. Hopefully while they were at Space Dock they could get the damage repaired before they run into another Youna ship.

There were still so many questions. Who were these Youma? Where did they come from? Serena sighed as the shipyards came into view. Many ships were present in various stages of completion. Serena even managed to pick out the incomplete _USS Exeter_ , the newest Constitution class.

As the _Enterprise_ sailed closer to Earth, the "pull" that Rene had been feeling weakened. Shaking it off, Rene decided to head back to her quarters. Spock raised an eyebrow as he watched the young security officer return to the turbolift, but didn't say anything.

* * *

Setsuna set her personal shuttle down. It had been a long time since she'd been here. Granted she could have just come here without the shuttle, she figured it would be better to come here in this way. Besides… she needed to brush up on her piloting skills anyways. After a moment, she transformed and stepped out onto the surface of the Moon. Looking up at what was ahead of her, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If this was going to work… she'd have to at least know if the old Life Support system still worked. And hopefully… _Enterprise_ was a bit delayed in her return.

* * *

 _"Negative_ Enterprise _. Orders from Admiral Meiou."_

"We're here because of Admiral Meiou's orders," Uhura tried to explain to the Space Traffic Controller.

 _"And I'm telling you, Admiral Meiou wants_ Enterprise _in Lunar orbit. Don't ask why. I never could understand those Intelligence types. Reminds me of those old James Bond vids."_

"Why Lunar orbit?"

 _"She didn't say. All the Admiral said was to direct you to Lunar orbit and that she wishes to meet with certain individuals at a set of coordinates on the Lunar surface. Transmitting data to you now."_

"Understood Control. Data received. _Enterprise_ out," Uhura sighed before pulling the earpiece out. She then pulled up the information that was sent, and blinked in confusion. After checking and rechecking the information, she turned to face the Captain. Kirk was already giving her an expectant look.

"I take it we're not cleared to dock," he summarized.

"No sir," Uhura replied. "Apparently Admiral Meiou left instructions to direct us into Lunar orbit. Also… she wants to meet Lts. Pike, Anderson, Kino, Aino, and Hino. The strange part is… where she wants to meet them on the Lunar surface. There's nothing there. Not even any habitat domes. Its nothing but rock in that area."

"O…k…" Kirk trailed off. "Sulu… Lunar orbit I guess. Spock… can you verify the coordinates that Uhura received?"

Spock checked the sensors, and confirmed that the coordinates were in the middle of Lunar Nowhere. He did detect a Moore type shuttle present however. Kirk thought for a moment. Something was off. Why would a Starfleet Admiral want to meet five lieutenants on the surface of the Moon? In the middle of nowhere on the Moon at that.

It wasn't long before the _Enterprise_ was in position. Kirk looked out at the surface of the Moon as he leaned against one of the armrests.

"This is going to bug me," he finally said. "Pike, Anderson… since the Admiral wanted you two, better get ready. Spock lets go."

"Jim?"

"The girls are going down there, and we're going with them."

"The Admiral…"

"Specifically requested them. I know. But I can't shake the feeling something isn't adding up. And I hate being kept out of the loop. Especially if it concerns members of my crew. So… we're going. Uhura. Have Lts. Kino and Hino meet us in the shuttlebay. I've got a feeling Lt. Aino's already down there."

"Yes Captain."

Mina was wiping down the forward viewport of the _Artemis_ when Captain Kirk and the others arrived. She looked over at them and asked what was going on. Spock explained the situation, and indicated that she should get suited up for Extra Vehicular Activity. With a smile, Mina jumped down from her perch and dashed off. Besides flying shuttles, Mina enjoyed going out in an EV suit. When she was younger, she and a friend would go out on the Moon and jump around. Outside the colony, the gravity was much lower, allowing a person to jump higher than they could at the Earth Normal that was usually maintained within the colony dome. Of course… living near the edge of Armstrong City had its advantages in that regard too, being close to one of the airlocks.

Returning a few minutes later, Mina motioned for everyone to get aboard the shuttle. Once everyone was situated and they were cleared, the _Artemis_ slid out of the shuttlebay and towards the Moon. Serena came up and slid into the copilot's seat. Something about this trip felt different to her.

"I guess I should say 'welcome to my backyard'," Mina wisecracked. Serena just made a noise in response, eyes glued to the view outside. Mina sighed, and tried again to start a conversation.

"You know… its views like this that influenced my decision to join Starfleet."

"Really?" Serena finally replied, turning to face the blond pilot.

"Oh yea! I mean… when you grow up with this kind of view, you kinda want to see more. It actually took me a while to get used to looking up and not seeing stars all the time when I went to the Academy."

"Yea… must have been something else to see blue sky and white clouds."

"So… what about you?" Mina suddenly asked. "I mean… other than the fact your dad's Admiral Pike and all that."

"Well… kinda the same reason as you. I wanted to see what's out there," Serena replied. "And to tell the truth… I'm a klutz in an EV suit, so I'm not exactly looking forward to this."

"Just need to get your 'space legs'," Mina wisecracked. "But if its any consolation… I was a klutz in a skirt. We don't really wear 'em in Armstrong City. If the Grav Generators go on the fritz, which they sometimes do in some areas, skirts lead to some rather awkward moments."

Serena laughed, trying to picture what that would look like. Mina pulled the shuttle around for the final approach, and did a double take. She called for Commander Spock to come up, and got both the resident Vulcan and Ami.

"Commander… Am I seeing things or does that look like a building?"

"Fascinating."

"Almost looks like a palace of some sort," Ami added.

There was an almost unnoticeable bump, which caused Mina to check her console. Again she expressed disbelief, as apparently they were now flying in an atmosphere. Ami asked Serena to move, and took her place in the copilot's seat.

"I'm reading a Nitrogen-Oxygen atmosphere consistent with Earth Sea Level. Its breathable," the blunette reported, confusion in her voice. Kirk poked his head into the cockpit, and his jaw dropped at the sight. Regaining his composure, he told Mina to set down next to the other shuttle.

"Ok… Atmosphere or no Atmosphere, I don't want to take any chances. Helmets on," Kirk ordered as the shuttle came to rest. Once everyone was sealed up and checked over by another, they depressurized the shuttle and stepped out onto the Lunar surface.

Setsuna stretched as she watched the shuttle land. Just like the _Pluto_ , it was a Moore type. To tell the truth, Setsuna actually preferred the Moore type over the more common Military types. Leaning against the balcony rail, she waited for the occupants to emerge. Luna and Artemis sat next to her.

"How much you want to bet they're suiting up?" Artemis asked.

"A can of Tuna?" Luna challenged.

"You're on."

A few minutes later, and sure enough, figures in EV suits emerged. However… there were seven of them instead of the expected five. Setsuna swore under her breath. She had a feeling as to who the extra wheels were. Tugging on her Starfleet uniform, Setsuna headed back into the palace to meet them. And if she was right… she was going to give him a piece of her mind.

As they made their way up the stairs of the mysterious lunar palace, Serena verified her claim of being a klutz in an EV suit. Her foot caught on one of the steps and she fell flat on her face.

"You alright lieutenant?" Kirk asked, offering a hand.

"Never could handle low G environments sir," Serena replied, accepting the offer. As soon as she was back on her feet, the group continued on towards the ornate doors. Serena took a little longer so that she wouldn't faceplant again.

"You won't be needing the helmets here," A voice said as they entered.

"Forgive me for taking precautions," Kirk replied, looking for the source.

"And I thought I made it _clear_ as to who I wanted to speak with… _Captain_ …"

Kirk crossed his arms across his chest as Admiral Meiou came down a set of stairs. He was surprised to see a pair of cats following her. The young women behind him just looked on in confusion as the Admiral walked over to them without an EV suit.

"This doesn't concern you Captain. You and Commander Spock will return to _Enterprise_ and await further orders," Admiral Meiou said sternly.

"With all due respect Admiral," Kirk replied. "If this concerns members of my crew, then it concerns me as their Captain."

The Admiral narrowed her eyes at that before once again stating that as long as they were on the palace grounds they would not require EV suits. Ami again scanned the environment with her tricorder before looking at the rest of the group.

"Anybody wanna hero?" Lita wisecracked. Naturally… no one volunteered. Biting her lip, Lita pulled her own helmet off and was surprised that, other than being a little stale, there was air. One by one, the rest of the group removed their helmets. Admiral Meiou again confronted Captain Kirk, but the young officer refused to budge. Finally, the green haired woman relented.

"Fine," she said flatly. "If I can't convince you to leave… everything here is _classified_. This place… does _not_ exist. What will be revealed cannot leave this palace. I even get a _hint_ that you said something, anything, and I swear I will bust you back down to the Academy so fast your head will be spinning for years."

"Understood Admiral," Kirk replied.

Setsuna led the group down the hall towards the conference room. Once they arrived and were seated, she finally got a good look at the girls. Again, Setsuna was surprised by Serena Pike. She was a complete contrast to what she used to be like in the past. Instead of the young, somewhat unsure princess, Lt. Pike showed a confidence that Setsuna was sure came from her father. But even with that, there were some things that came through from her past life.

Each of the young women showed traits consistent with their past lives, such as Ami's aptitude for science, tempered by traits gained in their current one, such as Lita's engineering skills. Heck… even Minako's piloting ability was a surprise to her.

Serena couldn't believe she was sitting, exposed, on the Moon. And not just on the Moon, in a palace that by all rights should have been discovered by Starfleet. Her attention drifted from the gathering to the window and the view of Earth.

"Why does this feel familiar?" she asked herself.

"Because this was your home long ago."

Serena, along with everyone else, looked at Admiral Meiou in confusion. Spock just raised an eyebrow. Serena was about to respond when the green haired woman raised a hand to cut her off. The admiral then explained everything, about the origins of the palace, the royal families… even the war with the Dark Kingdom.

"Although we were successful in defeating them… it was a pyrrhic victory. Not only were our forces devastated, there was no clear line of succession. Our Queen was injured, and her daughter, along with many other princesses from all over the system, was killed in the final attack."

Kirk leaned back in his chair, taking in everything. If Admiral Meiou's story was correct, than the five young women seated at the table were the reincarnations of princesses who were involved in a war. It was hard to believe. And it was obvious by the reactions of Lt. Pike and the others that they didn't believe it either. Admiral Meiou continued her story, explaining that the Scouts and the Princess were to be reborn in the 20th Century, but something happened.

"Perhaps Nero's disruption of the timeline on Stardate 2233.04 was responsible," Spock suggested.

"I agree," Admiral Meiou replied. "Although why an event from farther ahead in time would affect something that was supposed to happen earlier…"

"But that wouldn't make any sense," Ami interjected.

"Time is a fickle thing Lt. Anderson," Admiral Meiou said. "Perhaps being reborn in the 23rd Century was Time's attempt at repairing the damage caused."

"Why do you say that Admiral?" Lita asked. "You make it sound like you're familiar with the subject."

Admiral Meiou stood up from the conference table and walked over to the window. Her hand dropped into her pocket and she pulled a rod shaped object out.

"I know about time travel because of what I was charged with by Queen Serenity," Admiral Meiou said somberly. "Just as the other Scouts possessed Elemental powers, I was granted powers based on my role as the Guardian of Time itself."

Admiral Meiou turned to face them, and brandished the rod in her hand. Kirk and company were caught off guard as the young looking Admiral was suddenly engulfed in a burst of energy. When the light dissipated, everyone sat dumbfounded. Admiral Meiou was no longer wearing her Starfleet Uniform. Instead, she was wearing some sort of uniform/skirt combo, predominantly white with black accents and skirt. She also held an ornate staff in a loose grip at her side.

"Perhaps I should formally… reintroduce myself. I am Sailor Pluto."

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: Not much to say about this one. Needed to find a way to integrate Serena's ability to trip on a flat surface and... well... Klutz in an EV suit seemed to work. Mostly a quiet chapter, but... not every chapter can have action in a story.


	6. Preparations

Chapter 6

Preparations

For a minute, no one spoke. Even Spock was caught off guard by the sudden change of appearance in the Admiral. Finally, Serena spoke up.

"O…k… what just happened?" she asked.

Admiral Meiou, now calling herself Sailor Pluto, explained more about who she was, including her role in Starfleet and how long she had been an officer, which again stunned everyone present. She then closed her eyes before addressing Spock.

"I'm sorry Commander," she said. "Because of my failure… Vulcan was destroyed."

"You could not have known what would happen," Spock replied. "Logically… you are not at fault."

Pluto said nothing in response for a minute as she looked out at the surface of the moon. In a sense, Spock was right. She wasn't at fault. It was Nero who was responsible. But Pluto couldn't help but blame herself for even _allowing_ it to happen at all. In her mind, she was just as responsible. Finally taking a deep breath, Pluto once again faced the gathered officers. Focusing on Serena and her friends, Pluto told them to follow before walking out of the conference room.

"Admiral…"

"If we're going to prevent the Federation from suffering the same fate as the Lunar Kingdom… or worse considering the Klingons and Romulans… We need to stop this war before it even starts," Pluto cut off Kirk.

She led them into what appeared to be a throne room. The two cats accompanying her darted ahead and jumped up onto the arms of an old throne. On the seat appeared to be five rod shaped objects, similar in design to the one Pluto had before transforming. She explained that she had been protecting these artifacts since the late 1990s, waiting for those who they were meant for to come. She picked one up and presented it to Serena. The most prominent feature on the rod was what appeared to be a crescent moon design. The blond looked at the object in Pluto's hand, unsure what to think.

"This rightfully belongs to you," Pluto said.

Kirk watched as Serena timidly took the rod in hand. He still didn't understand what was going on, but Admiral Meiou was correct. They had to stop the Youma. Even if Starfleet was able to repel them, the Klingon and Romulan Empires would pounce so fast it wouldn't even be funny.

One by one, each of the young women were presented with one of the mysterious sticks. Each had a similar design, yet possessed a unique theme to them. Pluto explained what they were, which went right over Kirk's head. Spock just raised an eyebrow. Pluto motioned for Serena to do something. Blinking in confusion, the young woman held the rod in front of her in a similar manner as Pluto had with hers. She said something, and was suddenly engulfed in a burst of energy. Shielding his eyes, Kirk was trying to figure out what was going on. As soon as the light faded, everyone except for Spock and Pluto had a shocked look on their faces. Serena stumbled for a second before regaining her balance.

"What the hell?" she asked as she looked at herself. Instead of the EV suit she had been wearing, Serena was now in an outfit that was almost identical to Pluto's but with a different color scheme. Instead of the black accents, Serena's outfit had blue accents and skirt with red boots and bows.

"Nice… hairdo lieutenant," Kirk said, noting the rather unique meatballs that were now formed out of Serena's hair. Serena felt her head and found the meatballs.

"Ok… what just happened?" she asked.

"Well… your hair is a lot shorter than it was in the past, but…" Pluto said, adopting a thoughtful pose. "I guess you can still pull it off. And I think your fuku took cues from your Starfleet uniform."

Serena just gave the Admiral a deadpan look, saying something about looking like a cheerleader. She was actually considering taking off the gloves when she noticed that right were her rank was usually shown on her sleeves, gold stripes were present. Taking a closer look at her outfit, although predominantly white, the pattern was the same as on her uniform.

One by one, the other girls did the same as Serena, and were now looking over their new outfits. Each one had unique color schemes, but shared the Starfleet uniform pattern and had departmental colored stripes consistent with their ranks.

"Pink?" Lita moaned as she tugged on one of her bows. "I can live with the green… but pink bows?"

Pluto cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention. She then explained about what happened to them. Meanwhile, Kirk was checking in with _Enterprise_ on repairs. So far, nothing serious from that battle with the Youma ship. Scotty was also taking the opportunity to check over the shield systems to try and better protect the ship from the fireball weapon that was used against them.

 _"I could probably use Mr. Spock's input on this,"_ Scotty said over the open channel. _"But I'm pretty sure the bloody weapon was plasma based, or somethin' similar. I got Keenser looking o'er the data now. With luck, we'll be able t' defend against 'em more effectively."_

"Understood," Kirk replied. "I want to be ready for next time Scotty. I've got a feeling we're gonna be seeing more of these Youma before we're done."

 _"Ya make it sound like we're actually gonna go lookin' for the wee beasties."_

"They want to start a war Scotty. The only thing standing between them and the Federation is us. So yea, we're going after them."

 _"Aye sir. We'll give 'em a bloody nose alright. They won't take us down easily."_

"Good to hear. Kirk out."

Closing his communicator, Kirk sighed. Turning his attention back to the gathering, he wondered what was so special about the outfits. Pluto finally decided to approach him.

"Captain," she said. "Once we're finished here, I want _Enterprise_ to find the source of the Youma attack."

"Was planning on it Admiral," Kirk replied. "What about…"

"Lt. Pike and her friends will remain aboard _Enterprise_. If Queen Beryl is responsible for this invasion… they may be the only ones who can stop her."

"Admiral…"

Pluto turned to face Serena.

"I may outrank you in Starfleet," Pluto said. "However… technically speaking… you are the heir to the Lunarian throne. And as I served the Queen… I am obligated to follow you as well."

"No," Serena said. "I'm a Starfleet Lieutenant, and you're a flag officer. With all due respect… I'll earn my command."

Pluto smiled. That had to be Admiral Pike's influence showing. She put a hand on the young woman's shoulder and said that she really was different from her past life. Again, she turned her attention to Kirk.

"I'll get the 2nd fleet together, but that will take time."

"I'll try to save some for you," Kirk wisecracked.

"Good luck captain," Pluto said, before turning to face the Scouts. "And to you as well… Sailor Moon."

* * *

"GET DOWN!"

The now familiar call rang out in Engineering as Scotty yelled at his friend Keenser, who had once again climbed on top of something. Sighing as Keenser just shook his head and went back to looking over the PADD in his hands, Scotty went back to work on the shield systems. He looked up just in time to see Lita walk in, and it looked like something was on her mind. With a hint of a smile, Scotty stepped away from his console and approached the young brunette.

"Ye look like ye need a friend or somethin'," he said.

"Just a lot on my mind Mr. Scott," Lita replied.

"Ah don't get all formal on me lass. Just call me Scotty. Now… how 'bout ye help me with the shield modifications? And while we're at it ye can tell me what that Admiral wanted with ye."

Lita couldn't help but smile. She knew he wouldn't understand the whole Scout thing, especially since she didn't really understand herself, but she was starting to see the _Enterprise_ less as her assignment and more as her home. And it was all thanks to people like Mr. Scott, who were willing to make her feel welcome.

"Sure," Lita said as she rolled up her sleeves.

* * *

It was still going to be a few hours before the _Enterprise_ left, as there were still some repairs to be made. Taking the opportunity to get some real fresh air on Earth, Serena found herself in the last place she ever expected... the 602 Club. The bartender gave her a beer, saying she looked like she could use one. Not even objecting, the blond took the bottle and just leaned against the bar. She never had one before, but then again... she'd also never been slammed with what Admiral Meiou had told her before.

She had only had one sip when a familiar voice came from beside her.

"Never thought I'd see you here Serena."

Turning to her left Serena found her father, Admiral Christopher Pike.

"Never thought I'd be here myself," she replied.

"Something bothering you Sera?" Pike asked.

Serena couldn't help but smile. She hadn't been called that in years. Taking a deep breath, Serena told her father about meeting Admiral Meiou. Pike nodded in response. He was familiar with the enigmatic head of Starfleet Intelligence. He could tell his daughter was not telling him something, but he decided not to confront her about it.

"I heard something about your friend being transferred to _Enterprise_?" Pike asked.

"Ami? Yea. Surprise transfer to _Enterprise_ thanks to Admiral Meiou. Along with a girl from the _Dallas_ , Lita Kino," Serena confirmed.

"Heard about Kino," Pike replied. "A bit of a hothead from what I read."

"Maybe, but she's a good person."

"I also heard about the survivors from Starbase 24..."

"Kirk put two on temporary assignment to _Enterprise_. Minako Aino and Rene Hino. Admiral Meiou isn't going to reassign them though. I think they might get to stay on _Enterprise_ if we survive."

Pike nodded. He read the reports about Starbase 24, and now knew that Setsuna wanted _Enterprise_ to hunt down those responsible and stop them. He wasn't comfortable with knowing that his daughter was going to be in the middle of it, but he also knew that she was a Starfleet Officer, and was more than capable of taking care of herself. Taking a sip of his own beer, Pike thought for a moment. Serena really was a lot like her mother.

"Just be careful Sera," Pike said. "I always felt you were meant for something special."

Serena blinked at that, remembering what Admiral Meiou had said about her. Taking a deep breath, she looked over at her father. He believed in her, and that alone made her feel better. Taking one last sip of her beer, Serena got up from the bar and put a hand on Pike's shoulder.

"Thanks dad," she said. "I'd better get back to _Enterprise_. See you when I get back."

Pike watched her go and smiled. It was hard to believe that that woman used to be his little girl. The bartender was about to take the abandoned bottle away, but Pike stopped him. If Setsuna Meiou was involved… he decided that he might need another beer, and since Serena hardly touched her's, why waste it?

* * *

It was time. Repairs had been completed, and all personnel were back aboard. Kirk walked around the bridge as reports came in from all over the ship. They were as ready as they'll ever be. Finally returning to the Chair, Kirk looked out the viewscreen at the massive form of Earth Space Dock.

"Clear all moorings," Kirk said before continuing with the string of orders to get the _Enterprise_ underway. Outside, the massive clamps that held the Constitution class starship to the station released and retracted from the saucer section. Thrusters came to life, pushing the ship backwards before swinging the _Enterprise_ around to a clear vector. Admiral Meiou had suggested returning to Starbase 24 to check with the _Intrepid_. With luck, they found a clue from the wreckage of the Youma vessel to point them in the right direction. Sulu reported that they were clear and free to navigate. With a nod, Kirk ordered their return to Starbase 24.

"Course laid in captain," Sulu said, resting his hand on the Warp control bar.

"Punch it."

Sulu slid the lever forward, and the _Enterprise_ leapt to Warp.

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: Again... not really much going on in this one. Pluto admitting her failure with Nero and Vulcan only to get logic from Spock to reassure her, and Serena getting a confidence boost from her father in this story. Having Serena get a beer was mostly just setting. The real purpose of that part was a little encouragment from Admiral Pike. And he got a free 99% full bottle to deal with wondering why Admiral Meiou was involved.


	7. Bait and Switch

Chapter 7

Bait and Switch

"Any word from the ship sent to destroy the Lunarian station?"

"None, my Queen."

"They should have reported back by now…"

"The station was defenseless after our forces boarded it. Perhaps an enemy vessel arrived and disabled her communications systems."

"The fate of one ship doesn't concern me. I've waited too long for this moment. The moment of my revenge. Continue preparations for the invasion. We proceed as planned."

"Yes, my Queen."

* * *

The _Enterprise_ dropped out of Warp near the ruined Starbase. After establishing contact with the _Intrepid_ , they discovered that some tech did in fact survive the destruction of the Youma ship. One piece in particular was sent over to _Enterprise_ , a device the crew of the _Intrepid_ were calling the Black Box. Said Black Box was now in the lab and the calculating eyes of Commander Spock. Lt. Anderson was also present, poking the device with a finger every once in a while.

"If we can interface with it…" Ami said. "We might be able to find out if they were communicating with anyone outside the system. Maybe even trace the ship back to its point of origin."

"I agree," Spock said as he thought about how to proceed. He then decided to see what the young lieutenant could do. "What would you suggest Lieutenant?"

Ami blinked, not expecting to be put on the spot by the Vulcan. Shaking her head to focus, the young blunette thought for a moment. Connecting the device to the Main Computer might help... but there were risks involved with that. If there was some kind of virus on the device and it infected the _Enterprise_...

"Connect the device to an isolated console and attempt to access the data," she finally said. "By keeping it isolated from the _Enterprise_ Computer, we won't be able to work as effectively, but we will be safeguarding the ship in the long run."

"A logical suggestion Lieutenant," Spock replied. "Shall we proceed?"

* * *

Serena looked out at the debris field that used to be the Youma ship that attacked them. Tuning out the sounds of the Bridge, she thought about everything she learned recently from Admiral Meiou. It was hard to believe that these people were so hell bent on destroying Earth, and apparently over some ancient event that had been lost to time. And now the Federation may be on the brink of war.

"Why?" she asked quietly. "What is there to gain from all this destruction?"

"Lieutenant?"

Serena jumped and turned, finding Captain Kirk standing behind her. There was a concerned look on his face. Serena mentally kicked herself for not being more aware of her surroundings before taking a deep breath.

"Sorry sir," she said.

"Its alright lieutenant," Kirk replied. "Must have a lot on your mind."

"Yes sir."

Kirk took a moment to look out at the debris field himself before saying that he too had a lot on his mind. The _Enterprise_ was essentially the last line of defense against all out war. Not only had he been thinking about that, but the fact that he was asking his crew to risk their lives to do it. Hearing that, Serena understood the burden that everyone in command dealt with on a daily basis. And in a way… she was faced with that same burden as well, as she was supposed to be a leader herself. Granted her team was nowhere near as large as a starship crew, but the fact remained that she was now responsible for the lives of four others as well as her own.

"You think we'll make it Captain?" Serena asked. "You think we'll stop this war before it starts?"

"I have to believe we can lieutenant," Kirk replied. "We all do."

Serena nodded in response. He was right. They had to believe they could do it, otherwise they'd be second guessing everything and might choke at a critical moment. Looking back out at the blackness of space, Serena focused on the goal and not on what ifs. With so much at stake, it was do or die. And she was determined to see it through to the end.

* * *

"I don't get it," Ami sighed. "Everything we throw at it and it shrugs it off."

The Black Box sat there innocently as the exasperated blunette glared at it. Spock had tried several ways to access the stored data, even writing a brute force attack program to break the encryption. So far, it's defeated every attempt at accessing its secrets.

"It is proving to be a challenge," Spock replied as he started work on his next attempt.

"Challenge is an understatement Commander," Ami muttered. "This thing… is evil."

"The encryption appears to be adaptive," Spock noted. "With an incredible ability to analyze and counter unauthorized access."

Ami grunted as she leaned back in her chair. Everything they've tried has failed. Every method of access traditionally used…

"Wait…" Ami sat up as she thought of something. They've only tried methods available to _Starfleet_. There was one thing they have yet to try. One of the things that Admiral Meiou gave her was an advanced computer that apparently belonged to her long ago. Getting up and locking the door, Ami pulled out the pen that the admiral gave her. Spock raised an eyebrow.

"I do not believe that a transformation will affect the outcome," he said.

"I'm not going to vent on it sir," Ami replied. "Remember what Admiral Meiou gave me? We've tried _every_ trick in the book and failed. Maybe I can use this Mercury Computer to find a back door that we haven't found yet."

Spock thought for a moment, finally admitting that she had a point before telling her to proceed. After transforming, Mercury activated a visor that appeared over her eyes. Still feeling a little awkward in this form, she focused on the task at hand. Before her eyes, the visor actually interfaced with not only the console they were using, but the Black Box and even requested access to the ship's computer.

 _This thing might even be able to interface with a tricorder and… just… wow. The possibilities with this thing…_ she thought. _Ok fancy ancient computer… do your stuff._

Data scrolled across the provided HUD as she attempted to access the Black Box. Working with the console, she discovered that Spock was right. The Encryption was adaptive. But apparently it was not designed to counter this kind of access. With help from the Mercury Computer, the blunette Scout bypassed the encryption entirely.

"I'm in," she reported. "This thing is so cool…"

"Is that interface required?" Spock asked.

Mercury thought for a moment before deactivating her computer and reverting back to Ami. Nodding in response to the unspoken answer, Spock looked at the data they could now access. After a moment his eyebrow went up.

"Fascinating."

* * *

Kirk leaned back in his chair as the senior staff got settled. It had been about an hour after Spock reported that they cracked the Black Box, and now he and Lt. Anderson had something to present. Serena fidgeted nervously next to him, uncomfortable with being in the same room as everyone else. Kirk could understand, considering she wasn't a senior officer, but based on her unique status he decided it would be a good idea to include her on everything that involved the Youma. Lt. Anderson was also showing signs of nervousness, but was doing her best to keep herself composed.

"Whenever you're ready Spock," Kirk finally said.

The Vulcan took a moment before addressing the gathered officers as Lt. Anderson got settled on the console to bring up data.

"The encryption on the Data Recorder was quite complex, unlike anything Starfleet has encountered. It resisted all attempts at decryption until Lt. Anderson came up with a… creative method of bypassing it."

"Creative ye say?" Scotty asked as he turned to face the blunette.

"Yes," Spock replied before continuing. "Once we were able to access the data, we were able to determine that the Youma utilize a different coordinate system from the Federation as well as most known species. The Navigation data is therefore useless to us without a reference to compare to. Our only clue is the mention of a 'Blue Nebula'."

Kirk sighed and rubbed his head with a hand. Their one chance at finding the source of these attacks, and they couldn't even figure out which way was north with the Youma data. And Blue Nebula could mean anything. Spock then turned the floor over to Lt. Anderson. Caught off guard, the blunette reported that they also found Communication records and even the name of the ship they destroyed, the _Archon_.

"That still leaves us at square one though," McCoy spoke up. "We don't know where the hell they're coming from."

"I am afraid Dr. McCoy is correct," Spock said.

"Sir if I may make a suggestion?"

All eyes turned to Ami. Biting her lip for a second, Ami suggested that the comm. records might actually be of use. Sulu pointed out that knowing what the Youma were talking about wasn't going to help much. Ami countered by saying that the records revealed that they were in contact with _another_ ship before they approached Starbase 24.

"I think it might be possible to spoof a signal to this other ship," Ami said. "Using the Black Box, we should be able to pose as the _Archon_ and try to get a response from this other ship. If they fall for it…"

"The enemy wessel vill reveal its location to us!" Chekov finished.

"And if we know where they are," Sulu added. "We have a shot at capturing it."

"Aye," Scotty spoke up. "An' then we'll have access t' their main computer. But it still relies on the beasties actually fallin' fer th' oldest trick in th' book."

Ami watched as Kirk considered the option. Finally he nodded and asked Uhura if it could be done. After getting a tentative yes, Kirk gave the order to make it happen, adding that she should work with Spock to get everything set up.

"Good work lieutenant," Kirk said to Ami. "Alright, lets go catch us some Youma. Dismissed."

As everyone got up to leave, Kirk stopped Serena and Ami. Both girls waited until everyone left and the door closed. Finally, he addressed them.

"If we do get a hit on your plan lieutenant, we're gonna have to hit them hard," Kirk said. "That means you two will be going over there."

"You mean…" Serena trailed off.

"Yea, you and the others will have to suit up. From what little we know, hand phasers aren't as effective against them."

Serena closed her eyes. He was basically asking her and the others to go in with untested abilities. But based on Rene and Mina's report, Kirk had a point. It took a lot of hits from a standard issue Phaser Pistol to take one down. And they were talking about boarding a ship FULL of them. Granted Phaser Rifles are more powerful… the powers that the Scouts had might be more effective.

"I understand sir," Serena replied. "What do you want us to do?"

"As soon as your team is aboard, I want you to take Engineering and _hold_ it. Do everything you can to disrupt their systems to make capturing that ship easier. We want it in one piece if we're going to find the source of this threat."

"Yes sir," Serena said. "I'll let the others know. We'll be ready."

* * *

"Commander… we're receiving a transmission."

Commander Ashe leaned back in her chair. The one downside to questioning the Queen's orders involving this war was being stuck in the middle of nowhere with a "Political Officer" looking over your shoulder all the time. Ashe knew what she really was. A spy sent to ensure her loyalty. Shaking her head, Ashe got up, glared at the spy, then approached the Communications Officer.

"Source?" she asked.

"The Lunarian Station. Checking… it's the _Archon_."

"They've been out of contact for days… what happened?"

The Comm. officer looked up at her and shrugged. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Ashe ordered a reply and request for the _Archon's_ status. Something felt off, but it was outweighed by her frustration with the fact that the Kingdom was preparing for an unnecessary war. It had been thousands of years since the Dark Kingdom was defeated. Attacking people out of revenge just didn't sit right with her.

* * *

"Captain! We got a response!" Uhura reported, getting Kirk's attention. "Youma vessel _Atredes_ is requesting our status."

Kirk smiled as he got up out of his chair. It was about time they got a bite. He asked if it was enough to get a trace.

"Yes Captain," Spock replied. "The Youma vessel is transmitting from the Japori System, Tau Dewa Sector."

"Uhura, get me Admiral Meiou at Starfleet," Kirk ordered. "And inform the _Atredes_ that we've been undergoing repairs for a while. That should cover the delay."

After a minute Uhura reported that she had Admiral Meiou. With a nod, Kirk asked her to be put on screen. Not long after that, Kirk was filling in the green haired Admiral on what they've discovered. Admiral Meiou thought for a moment before giving the go ahead on the plan to capture a Youma ship. While Kirk was briefing the Admiral, Spock contacted Serena and informed her that they were going after the Youma ship.

 _"Be careful Captain,"_ Admiral Meiou finally said. _"We need that ship in one piece if we're going to find the source of these attacks."_

"Anything else I should know before we head out?" Kirk asked.

 _"We have an unconfirmed report that a Romulan ship was ambushed by unknown forces in Tau Dewa. Apparently, the daughter of a Romulan Ambassador went missing. It's not a priority, but if you can dig anything up while you're in the area it might help smooth out relations with the Romulans as well."_

"If we get a chance Admiral, we'll look into it," Kirk replied. After Admiral Meiou signed off, Kirk checked with Uhura on the ship they caught. The _Atredes_ was offering to assist with repairs. With a devious smile, Kirk told Uhura to inform the Youma that they were on their way. The _Atredes_ would be expecting one of their own ships. Instead… they'd get ambushed by the _Enterprise_. The ensuing confusion should buy them enough time to get Serena and her team aboard with the Transporter as well as locate the enemy shield generators and knock them out.

"Sulu, set course for the Japori System, Warp 6. Chekov, stand by weapons. I want to hit them as soon as we can."

"Course laid in Captain," Sulu replied.

"Weapons standing by keptin," Chekov chirped.

"Punch it."

The _Enterprise_ came about and jumped to warp, leaving behind the ruined Starbase.

* * *

Serena was pacing in the Armory as Rene gave everyone a quick refresher on Phaser Rifles. Serena had qualified with the basic Type 3-A rifle back in the Academy. Unlike the single shot 3-As, the 3-Rs had a fire selection setting, allowing for both single shot and burst fire modes. Ami seemed to be the most nervous out of the whole group though. The resident blunette was constantly switching the stun setting on her pistol every few seconds before Lita finally had enough and pried the weapon away from her. Ami gave Lita a deadpan look before she started messing with her medkit instead. Lita sighed and gave up.

"What kind of resistance should we expect?" Mina asked.

"Probably the same as we saw on Starbase 24 during the attack," Rene replied.

"And for those of us who weren't there?" Serena asked. Rene described what she saw in detail so that the whole team would know. Serena nodded in response. The rifles would provide more punch, but she had a feeling they wouldn't be relying on them as much as they would their untested abilities.

"Finish gearing up," Serena finally said. "The second we get the word, we're beaming over and hitting them hard."

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: Main goal of this chapter was to show both teams working together, and to set up for some more action in the next chapter.

Also... I kinda just came up with the name of the chapter while posting it. *sweatdrop*

Anyways... we gonna see some more action soon.


	8. Fang's Out

Chapter 8

Fang's Out

"ETA to Japori, five minutes Captain."

Kirk had been pacing the bridge for several minutes. After hearing Sulu's report, he settled into the Captain's Chair. It was almost time. Hitting a button on the arm of the chair, Kirk contacted Lt. Pike to let her know to get ready. Three minutes later, Pike reported that her team was in the Transporter Room. A look of determination crossed his face as the seconds ticked down.

"Red Alert," he finally ordered. Red lights came to life as the alert klaxon went off, signaling every member of the _Enterprise_ crew to report to battlestations. This time… he was going to make sure they weren't caught off guard.

* * *

"Commander, vessel approaching at FTL."

Commander Ashe sighed. The _Archon_ was almost here. The so called Political Officer, Tenzi, stood behind her like some kind of guard. Ashe was starting to get irritated by the spy's presence.

"As soon as they drop out of FTL, open a channel to the _Archon_. Might as well see what we can do to help."

"I am certain the Queen will reward you and the _Archon_ 's commander for loyalty," Tenzi said in that condescending tone Ashe had come to expect from her.

"And with all due respect," Ashe replied. "I'm sure your report will also highlight any _flaws_ you find in my actions. Do me a favor and stay out of my business Tenzi. I don't need you looking over my shoulder constantly."

Tenzi didn't say anything as a distant flash registered on the viewscreen. But instead of the expected Jadeite class cruiser, a strange white ship streaked into existence in front of them. The design could almost be described as beautiful. That beauty soon turned to shock and confusion as bolts of ruby death lanced out from the unknown's saucer section and slammed into the _Atredes_. Tenzi grabbed onto the Command Chair to brace herself as the ship lurched from the barrage. With a string of orders, Ashe got the _Atredes_ into evasive maneuvers as they tried to identify the attacker.

"Detecting a Federation transponder… Registry Number: NCC-1701… _U.S.S. Enterprise_!"

"A Lunarian ship!" Tenzi growled.

"They are targeting our primary shield generators! Preparing to cycle secondaries!"

* * *

"Target's shields are down!" Chekov reported.

"Kirk to Transporter Room. Hit it!" Kirk called out.

* * *

Serena tensed up as the order came through. Raising her rifle, she gave a quick nod to the Operator. Shortly after that, the five girls were enveloped in white energy.

* * *

"Captain, Enemy shields are back online," Spock reported, causing Kirk to swear.

"Redundant systems…" he growled as the Youma ship pulled away from them. "Did…"

"Transporter Room reports that Lt. Pike and her team were successfully beamed over to the enemy ship."

"They're on their own for now…" Kirk sighed. "Chekov! Sulu! Keep the pressure up."

* * *

Serena blinked. They had beamed into a random corridor. The lighting was low with an orange tint. Most likely their version of Red Alert. Every once in a while the ship would rock from the punishment _Enterprise_ was dishing out. Looking back at her team, Serena was positive they were going to be spotted. After all...you had five human women, wearing gold, red, or blue uniforms and carrying rifles. Her hand dropped down to the pouch on her belt, and the pen it contained inside.

"Well... so far so good..." Lita said as she swept the corridor with her rifle.

"Let's move," Serena replied. "The sooner we find Engineering, the sooner we can end this fight."

Motioning for them to follow, Serena took point as she headed down the corridor. After a while, Serena was wondering if the ship even had a crew... until they ran into a small group of Youma that ran around the corner with tools in hand. For a moment both groups just looked at each other in disbelief, before one of the Youma finally snapped out of it.

"Intruders!" she called out as she lashed out with the tool in her hand. Falling back on her Academy training, Serena blocked the strike with her rifle. It wasn't long before Rene and Lita were in it as well. One of the Youma managed to break away and charged at the remaining two officers. Mina swung her rifle around, but wasn't quite fast enough as the alien slammed her into a bulkhead. Ami turned to fire, but was shocked to see the Youma pinning the blonde to the deck. A strange, misty ball of energy formed in her hand as Mina struggled in her grip. Wisps of energy started coming out of Mina, almost like they were being pulled out of her, and it looked like she was getting weaker. Not giving the Youma time to finish whatever she was doing, Ami brought her rifle up to her shoulder and fired. The ruby bolt of energy slammed into the Youma's shoulder, causing her to drop the mist orb. Turning to deal with Ami, the Youma got shot several more times in the chest. Staggering from the impacts, the Youma tried to form a fireball in her hands.

Mina shook her head. She felt like she just pulled an all nighter back at the Academy. Seeing the Youma standing over her and facing off against Ami, Mina drew her pistol and fired. Now being attacked from two sides, the Youma finally fell to their combined fire. Slinging her rifle over her shoulder, Ami bolted over to the blonde's side.

"Are you alright?" Ami asked as she ran her Medical Tricorder over Mina.

"Nothing a good cup of coffee or something can't cure..." Mina wisecracked. "And maybe an old fashioned aspirin?"

Looking back at the fight, Ami thought for a moment before opening her Medkit.

"There's nothing physically wrong with you, but according to my Tricoder, its... its like the Youma was draining you of something," the blunette explained as she prepped a hypospray. "Without knowing exactly what she was doing, I don't really know how to treat you."

"Just give me a stim," Mina grunted as she pushed herself up a bit.

"Only thing I _can_ do really," Ami sighed as she pressed the device against Mina's neck and injected the contents into her bloodstream.

"Took a lot to bring her down..." Mina said as she rubbed her neck. "I don't think we're gonna get anywhere with Phasers. How many times did you shoot that Youma anyways?"

"A few times... maybe shrugged off about ten hits at least?"

Mina reached into the pouch on her belt and pulled out her pen. It was time for Plan B. With a nod, Ami backed off as Mina brandished the pen.

Serena was gritting her teeth as she pushed against the Youma. Rene and Lita weren't faring any better either. The Youma were physically stronger, but the rifles were giving the Starfleet Officers the added leverage they needed to even the odds a bit. But the tide was turning against them as the Youma were starting to overpower them.

Suddenly, an orange and white blur slammed into the Youma, freeing Serena from her opponent. All activity in the corridor stopped as they looked at the one who did the blitz attack.

"It... can't be..." one of the Youma gasped.

"Senshi!" another cried out.

It seemed a bit odd to her, but for the first time in her life, she felt as though something had fallen into place. When she had first transformed on the Moon in front of Admiral Meiou, she felt strange. But here now... facing off against those who were threatening the Federation, Minako Aino felt like she found her place, and she knew who she was.

"This ends now..." Sailor Venus said as she brought her hands out in front of her, palms out. Topaz energy started to collect in her open hands as the Youma just watched in a form of terrified fascination.

"Crescent Beam!"

The topaz energy in Venus' hands lanced out, spearing at least two of the Youma, throwing them into the far bulkhead.

* * *

"Shields holding at 72%!"

Ashe growled under her breath as she continued her battle with the _Enterprise_. The enemy commander was quite skilled, able to match her move for move. In fact, she was enjoying this contest. The graceful form of the _Enterprise_ was a sharp contrast to the bulky _Atredes_. The Lunarians seemed to favor form _and_ function over function alone. If things were different, she would have gladly chosen to be on a ship like her over fighting. But as long as Beryl insisted on war with the Lunar Kingdom, there was very little Ashe could do to stop it. _Especially_ with Tenzi on the bridge.

"Status of the enemy ship?" Ashe ordered.

"Enemy shields at 75%. We've identified their weapons as some form of Phased Energy as well as matter/antimatter warheads."

A graphic appeared, showing the locations of the enemy weapons. The Phased Energy weapons seemed to be located on the saucer section, while the torpedo launcher was located on the neck of the ship. The _Enterprise_ had teeth, and her commander knew how to use them.

"Commander... we're getting an odd report from B Deck. Weapons fire and... a Senshi?"

Ashe spun around to face the officer who made the report. It was impossible. The Senshi hadn't been seen for thousands of years! Not since the first war between the Dark and Lunarian Kingdoms.

Tenzi got one of those fanatical grins.

"If that ship somehow delivered Senshi to the _Atredes_..." she said. "Initiate Autodestruct! We shall destroy the Senshi and pave the way for our Queen's ultimate victory!"

"Belay that order!" Ashe snapped as she got up in Tenzi's face. "I will _not_ sacrifice my ship or my crew just to eliminate one _possible_ enemy soldier."

"My authority comes directly from the Queen, _Commander_ Ashe," Tenzi growled. "Disobey me, and you disobey Queen Beryl. That is Treason. If you will not give the order, I will have you _removed_ from command!"

Ashe glared at Tenzi before making a decision that would most likely cost her life later.

"Viola! _Escort_ Officer Tenzi off my bridge and throw her ass in the Brig for mutiny. I have a battle to win."

"You can't do this Ashe! I speak for the Queen!"

"I just _did_ Tenzi."

As Viola hauled Tenzi away, Ashe took a deep breath. Unless Tenzi died in this battle... her life was pretty much over. And knowing Beryl, the lives of her crew was also forfeit. But she wasn't going down without a fight. Returning to the Command Chair, Ashe got back to what she did best, command her ship.

Tenzi bristled as the traitor pushed her down the corridor towards the Brig. If there was even a chance there was a Senshi aboard, they had to make sure she never returned home. At any cost.

The ship lurched from another volley of Photon Torpedoes striking the shields, and Tenzi made her move. Whirling around as Viola stumbled, Tenzi slammed her clawed hand into the vulnerable Youma's chest, spearing the unfortunate woman before unleashing a burst of dark energy directly into her heart. Viola lasted long enough for shock to register on her face before she dissolved into a pile of dust. That done, Tenzi knew what she had to do. Override Ashe's command codes, take control of the _Atredes_ , and destroy the Senshi. And the best place to do that was Engineering.

* * *

Once Venus struck, the remaining Youma were easy to mop up in their confusion. After a moment, the remaining Scouts also transformed. They needed the extra punch if their rifles weren't effective. Moon had to admit though... the sight of five girls in what amounted to cheerleader outfits with phaser rifles slung across their backs must have made for an odd sight. Mercury more so with the added Medkit hanging from her shoulder. Moon felt like she was in her element now. The problem was... she was totally lost aboard this vessel. The next couple skirmishes with Youma Security were easier thanks to the power boost.

 _"Attention crew of the_ Atredes _!"_

"That doesn't sound good…" Jupiter deadpanned.

 _"By the authority bestowed upon me by Queen Beryl, Commander Ashe is no longer in command of this vessel."_

* * *

Ashe slammed a fist down on the arm of the command chair.

 _"Senshi have been discovered aboard the_ Atredes _, and it is our duty to ensure that they do not survive. Know that your sacrifice will pave the way to ultimate victory over the Lunarians and will be recognized by Queen Beryl herself!"_

"Lock her out…"

" _Self Destruct Sequence initiated."_ The computer reported.

"We've been locked out of the main computer Commander. Navigation… weapons… Life Support… All we have left is Communications."

Ashe sighed and closed her eyes. Tenzi had forced her hand. There was no choice now.

"Hail the Lunarian vessel," Ashe ordered. "If there is even a chance at saving the crew…"

* * *

Kirk watched as the Youma vessel just… stopped. Something seemed off about it.

"Full sensor scan," he ordered. After a moment Spock reported that it appeared as if the ship had just… shut down except for a few critical systems, one of which was shields. As he was about to order Uhura to contact Lt. Pike, the communications officer reported that they were being hailed by the Youma ship. Wondering what was going on, Kirk said to answer. A minute later, an image of a woman appeared on the viewscreen. She looked tired, but still had a hint of defiance in her eyes.

 _"Lunarian vessel, this is Commander Ashe of the_ Atredes _."_

"Captain James T. Kirk, Federation Starship _Enterprise_."

 _"Before we proceed Captain… I want to know if my crew will be treated fairly."_

Kirk was caught off guard by this. Were they willing to surrender? Both ships were evenly matched. After a moment, he said that they would. Ashe visibly relaxed.

 _"I am willing to surrender my ship to you Captain, however we have been locked out of our main computer by… an overzealous individual. She has activated the ship's autodestruct in an effort to destroy the Senshi you sent over somehow."_

"How long do you have?"

 _"I don't know… five minutes? Without access to the computer…"_

"With your shields up, we can't evacuate your crew…"

 _"Perhaps the Senshi can take control of Engineering long enough to override the system."_

Sulu looked back at Kirk, unsure if he was hearing this correctly. The captain appeared unfazed by all this.

"Sulu?" Chekov spoke up. "You alright?"

"Yea… I'm fine Chekov," Sulu replied as Kirk finished with the Youma captain. Kirk got up and stretched before having Uhura check on Pike's team. Finally, Sulu couldn't take it anymore and got up to approach the captain. Kirk saw him coming and turned to address him.

"Something on your mind Sulu?" Kirk asked.

"Captain... what was that all about?" Sulu asked. "The Senshi aren't real. They're just a story."

"Really?" Kirk replied.

Sulu seemed skeptical at the Captain's odd response. Something was going on. Kirk knew more than he was letting on.

* * *

The five Scouts ran down the corridor full tilt. There was not a moment to lose. They needed this ship intact if they were going to get access to the main computer and find the source of the attacks. The few Youma they ran into... they just ran past them. Surprisingly, the Youma made no move to stop them or chase after them. There was just one problem with the plan.

They were totally frickin' lost.

It wasn't long before they came across what looked to be a young Youma curled up on the deck, seemingly scared out of her mind. Moon skidded to a halt and approached the woman. Upon seeing the Scout, the Youma actually recoiled. Based on her outfit, she must have been a junior engineer or something.

"Please don't kill me!" she squeaked. "I don't want to die!"

Mars stepped up next to the meatball head, rifle in hand. Moon waved her off and knelt down to be level with the engineer.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Moon said, trying to diffuse the situation.

"It doesn't matter though... I'm either going to die by your hand, or Tenzi's."

"Who's Tenzi?"

The Youma looked at Moon, confusion showing in her eyes. She couldn't understand why a Senshi, something she had been told attack and destroy Youma on sight, was trying to be friendly. She explained that Tenzi was to ensure the Commander's loyalty to the Kingdom, and reported directly to Queen Beryl herself. And Tenzi had taken control of the ship, hellbent on destroying it to eliminate the Senshi.

Moon thought for a moment. That would explain the announcement they heard earlier. She then asked where Tenzi was. The engineer replied that she was down in Engineering, and that she most likely locked out the computer to prevent the Commander from overriding the autodestruct. Getting an idea, Moon gave the Youma a friendly smile.

"We might be able to stop Tenzi and save the ship," she said. "But we can't do that without help. Can you tell us how to get to Engineering?"

The Youma pointed down the corridor before producing a key card.

"Down the corridor, turn right, and its the last door. I don't know if Tenzi locked out everyone's security access, but this might get you in if she didn't bother to go all the way down the list. My clearance isn't that high, but it might still work."

"Thank you," Moon replied, accepting the key card. She then stood up and motioned for the others to follow her. As the Scouts tore down the corridor, the Youma engineer thought for a moment.

 _Maybe everything we were taught about the Lunarians was wrong..._

Following the engineer's directions, the Scouts soon found themselves in front of an impressive door. Mars went over to the side of the door and braced her rifle against her shoulder. Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury took cover as well while Moon approached an interface on side opposite Mars. With a nod, Moon inserted the key card into the panel.

* * *

"Soon now... nothing will stand in the way of our Queen's victory..." Tenzi said as she looked up at the main reactor of the _Atredes_. She was in full loyal fanatic mode as she awaited the firestorm that would come with the ship's destruction.

She heard the doors open. Growling under her breath, she looked at the console next to her and brought up the access data.

Engineer Second Class Kasumi.

"Figures... didn't lock everyone out..." Tenzi muttered, realizing that her lockdown only accounted for senior staff and those immediately below them. Not low ranking no names like Kasumi.

"I suggest you make your peace with the universe Kasumi..." Tenzi trailed off as she turned to look at the young Youma, only to discover not one, but _five_ individuals. And not just any individuals either.

Senshi.

Tenzi glared at the invaders, balling her hands up into fists. They dared to show their faces here of all places. Not only that, they were all pointing weapons at her.

"Stand down," the one in the center said. Tenzi figured she was the leader based not only on appearance, but position at the center of the formation. The other four fanned out behind the blonde with the unique hairstyle. "It doesn't have to end like this."

"Oh but it does," Tenzi retorted. "Only with the destruction of the Lunar Kingdom can we ensure our dominance."

Moon tightened her grip on her rifle. She knew it was next to useless against a Youma unless it was under concentrated fire. The main purpose of pointing their rifles at her was psychological and not tactical. But this Youma was proving to be a fanatic, totally dedicated to the cause and to hell with everyone else.

"Take a look around you," Moon replied. "The Lunar Kingdom doesn't exist! You're fighting a war that ended long ago!"

"This war will only end with the total subjugation of the Humans, and destruction of your precious Lunar Kingdom!"

Now Moon was positive that Tenzi was stalling. The clock was ticking on a very _big_ bomb. They had to act now. Without hesitation, and quickly throwing something defiant out at the Youma, Moon charged. Mars and Venus were right behind her. Tenzi blocked a strike from Moon's Phaser Rifle and lashed out with a palm strike, only to get countered herself by Moon knocking the strike away.

Mercury and Jupiter hung back as it was currently 3-on-1, and so far, that tended to be overkill against most Youma. But it did seem as though Tenzi was a cut above the norm. Biting her lip, Jupiter thought about joining the melee before getting poked in the shoulder by Mercury.

"Come on, I'm gonna need help overriding the computer," the blunette said.

"Right," Jupiter replied. "Still gotta stop the big badda boom."

Both Scouts bolted to an alcove, and Mercury pulled out her Tricorder to try and interface with the Youma computer. Activating her visor, Mercury got to work using both her Computer and the Tricorder. Jupiter actually dove underneath the console and pried open an access panel to get a look at the guts of the console itself.

"Looks like a variation of an EPS power system," Jupiter said. "At least... I think its EPS. For all I know, they could be using cold fusion sandwiches instead of an Antimatter reaction like us."

"Yea... its Electro-Plasma alright, but they're using a different system for power generation than the Federation. Some form of Plasma induction/fission hybrid unlike anything I've ever seen. Don't even know how its even possible," Mercury said as she went over the data she was collecting.

"Alien tech from who knows where," Jupiter replied. "I'm sure Vulcan tech was just as alien shortly after First Contact."

Refocusing on the task at hand, Mercury's hands flew over the control interface as she worked to override the Computer lockout.

Venus ducked back to allow Mars to get some hits in. So far this Youma was a lot tougher than the last few they fought. Things might have been easier if they weren't afraid their powers might damage the ship's main reactor. But with the risk of destabilizing the Core, they fell back on hand-to-hand.

Seeing that Mars was starting to get driven back, Venus stepped up again and lashed out with a kick. To her surprise, Tenzi grabbed her leg and slammed her claws into her thigh. Venus cried out as she struggled to free herself. With a feral grin, Tenzi released the blonde and blasted her point blank with a burst of energy, throwing her into a nearby bulkhead. Dazed and injured, Venus was effectively out of the fight. Tenzi was unable to follow up as she was still engaged by two now very pissed off Scouts.

"Come on!" Mercury urged the computer as she worked at a frantic pace. Her Tricorder managed to translate the countdown, and it was now displayed in the corner of her Heads Up Display on her visor. Time was running out fast. Jupiter had come out from the guts of the console and was now looking for anything that could help physically with stopping the auto-destruct.

 _1:00_

Gritting her teeth, Mercury tried a different tactic. Instead of trying to brute force it, she started looking for a back door. Just like she did with the _Archon's_ Black Box.

 _:50_

Starting to sweat because of the pressure, Mercury continued her search.

 _:40_

There it was. The back door.

 _:30_

She was in. Now all she had to do was convince the computer she was supposed to be there.

 _:20_

Mercury's hands were almost a blur as she worked frantically.

 _:10_

Almost got it...

A couple more keystrokes, and Mercury stepped back from the console to lean on the one behind her, letting out a sigh of relief.

 _ **:06**_

"How close?" Jupiter asked.

"Six seconds..." Mercury replied, wiping her hand across her brow.

Tenzi knocked back the two Senshi and looked around. They should have been consumed by a fireball by now. The _Atredes_ should be ripping herself apart in her death throws, and possibly damaging the Lunarian ship in the process! It was then that she saw the other two Senshi who had not been fighting. Now enraged at the prospect of failing her Queen, Tenzi launched herself at the offending blunette Senshi, only to get clothes-lined by the raven-haired one in red. Looking up at the human, Tenzi gasped as Mars started making gestures... and rings of fire started to form around her. The stories were true. The Senshi did have power.

The last thing Tenzi saw was those rings of fire flying at her after a cry of "Burning Mandala!"

* * *

 _"Anderson to_ Enterprise _."_

Uhura put a hand to her earpiece as she heard the call before putting it up on speakers. Kirk nodded at her before responding.

"Go ahead lieutenant."

 _"No boom today sir. Self destruct aborted. I've got control of the main computer. Lowering shields now."_

"Understood. Good work. Feel free to take the rest of the day off."

 _"We've got wounded over here sir."_

"We're on our way. Kirk out. Uhura, have Dr. McCoy meet me in the Transporter Room."

Uhura nodded in response and put the call down to Sickbay while Kirk made his way to the Turbolift. Spock followed him and slipped in behind the young Captain, voicing his concern over revealing the identity of the Scouts to anyone. Kirk sighed and stopped the Turbolift.

"Spock... its only a matter of time before someone figures it out," he replied. "Commander Ashe already let the cat out of the bag. So far the only saving grace is Sulu hasn't figured it out yet. But I can't keep everyone in the dark now."

"Jim, Admiral Meiou was _quite_ clear on the subject," Spock objected.

"Objection noted Commander," Kirk sighed before allowing the Turbolift to continue. After a couple minutes, the pair was let out and they made their way to the Transporter Room. McCoy was already waiting for them with a Medkit slung over his shoulder and looking annoyed... as usual. Kirk and Spock took belts with Phasers and stepped onto the pad, followed by the Doctor. As soon as everyone was situated, Kirk nodded at the operator.

"Energize."

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: Again, I didn't have a title for this chapter until posting this.

Anyways... I wanted to show several sides of the Youma in this chapter, playing off something I toyed with in the SG-1 crossover _Sierra Echo,_ the idea of the Youma not being just tools, but by this point a full on species. So we've got different personalities and everything. More will be revealed later, and in my opinion is a pretty interesting Star Trek twist. But more on that when that comes up. Also... this chapter shows how inexperienced the Scouts are against the Youma, as well as showing that they fall back on Starfleet training before mixing things up to get the upper hand.

Another thing I did was actually a nod to the movie _Star Trek: Insurrection_. The countdown stopping at 6 seconds, exactly where the Son'a collector was stopped in the movie.


	9. Everything Changes

Chapter 9

Everything Changes

"OW!"

"Hold still."

"You poking my leg doesn't help!"

Mercury sighed as she continued to examine Venus' injured leg. She was interrupted by three columns of light coalescing into the familiar forms of Captain Kirk, Commander Spock, and Doctor McCoy. As soon as she saw the doctor, Mercury started biting her lip, fully expecting questions as to why they were out of uniform.

"Um... Jim? Are those Youma Cheerleaders or something?" McCoy asked, causing the Scouts to blink in confusion.

"They are not Youma, Dr. McCoy," Spock said in a neutral tone.

Waving the doctor over, Mercury gave McCoy enough room to work. Muttering under his breath about random cheerleaders being aboard a warship, the country doctor got to work. Looking over at the Captain, Mercury saw Moon filling him in on what happened.

"What the..." McCoy said in disbelief as he looked over the data he was getting from his Medical Tricorder.

"What is it?" Mercury asked.

"I don't know who you people are... but according to this, blondie here is human... but her leg is healing at an accelerated rate."

Mercury thought for a moment. How could Doctor McCoy NOT know who they were? Its not like they were wearing masks or anything after all. She was pulled out of her musing by the approach of Captain Kirk, who asked Venus how she was doing, catching McCoy off guard.

"I'll live sir," Venus replied as she looked up at Kirk.

"Jim... is there something you're not telling me?" McCoy asked, standing up and facing the younger officer. Kirk closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. The next words out of his mouth caught everyone by surprise.

"Show him lieutenant."

Biting her lip, Venus hesitated before closing her eyes. In a flash of orange light, the injured Scout was replaced with Lt. Aino.

McCoy blinked in confusion as he looked down at the young girl. How the HELL had he not seen it was her? Growling under his breath, McCoy knelt down again and went back to work on the girl's leg.

"Someone gonna explain to me what the hell is going on here?" he asked after a minute.

"Later Bones," Kirk replied. "After we get back to _Enterprise_."

"I'd rather have an explanation right now Jim," McCoy countered. "Where's Lt. Pike and the rest of her team? And what the hell was Lt. Aino wearing just a minute ago?"

The only response he got was Kirk gesturing at the rest of the Scouts. Rolling his eyes in irritation, McCoy just went back to work and muttered about Voodoo.

After asking Mercury to contact the bridge of the _Atredes_ , Kirk waited for Commander Ashe to arrive. When she did, she found four Senshi and four Starfleet officers, one of which was leaning casually against a bulkhead. Recognizing him as Captain Kirk, Ashe approached him, noting that these people apparently had color coded uniforms. Ashe wasn't sure what the color meant, but as Captain Kirk was wearing a gold uniform, she figured it was some form of command division. She also noted the injured woman also wore gold, but didn't have as many stripes on her sleeves. Taking a quick look at the two males wearing blue, she noted a difference in the number of stripes. Perhaps a means to display rank?

Brushing her curiosity aside for now, Ashe gave a slight bow to Captain Kirk.

"Captain... thank you for saving my crew. Although our two kingdoms are enemies... you have my gratitude."

"You're welcome Commander," Kirk replied.

"As commander of this vessel... I hereby surrender the _Atredes_ to you," Ashe said as she again bowed before Kirk.

"On behalf of the United Federation of Planets... I accept your surrender. I'll make sure your people are treated fairly, and given medical treatment if necessary."

Ashe smiled, again breathing a sigh of relief. Her crew was now safe from Beryl's wrath. At least... until she came hunting for them. After the human male hovering over the injured female was finished, he approached the Youma Commander and started waving a device over her. Although she felt as though she was being violated somehow... Ashe allowed him to proceed.

"Well... I'm no expert on Youma physiology, but by human standards... looks like you're perfectly healthy," the human said after a minute. "Although... I'm confused by the amount of silicate material in you..."

That comment attracted the other male who had pointy ears. After asking to see the scan results for himself, the pointy eared one looked at Ashe and raised an eyebrow.

"Fascinating," he said. "Perhaps a more thorough examination aboard _Enterprise_ would provide answers."

"As long as it will not harm myself or my crew, I will allow it," Ashe replied. Considering the origins of most Youma, Ashe wasn't surprised.

"Kirk to _Enterprise_."

 _"Scott here sir."_

"Contact Starfleet Command, inform them we have captured a Youma vessel intact and have personnel requesting asylum. We'll need a ship to escort the _Atredes_ to the nearest Starbase."

 _"Aye sir. Can do. And how's it look o'er there?"_

"She's not the _Enterprise_ , Mr. Scott. But... I guess she's got her own charm. Kirk out."

Closing his communicator, Kirk turned to Spock and told him to get to work on accessing the Youma's main computer. Mercury motioned for the Vulcan to join her at the console she had already hacked, stepping aside to give him space to work. After a moment, Moon approached him and asked to speak with him. Moving a respectable distance away, Kirk nodded.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"Was it really necessary to reveal Minako to Dr. McCoy like that?" Moon asked. "Admiral Meiou..."

"Lieutenant... Commander Ashe mentioned you guys when she contacted us after they were shut down. Cat's out of the bag. Might as well go all the way," Kirk said. "Look... I'm sorry, but its only a matter of time before someone figures it out."

"I understand sir," Moon sighed.

"However..." Kirk continued. " _Only_ the Senior Staff will know your identities. That information will be considered highly classified."

"I think I can live with that sir."

Kirk smiled and put a hand on Moon's shoulder.

"Not bad for your first Command," he said with a smile. "You led your team pretty well."

"Minako was still injured during the mission. Not exactly a perfect score," Moon said.

"Nobody's perfect Serena. Do what you can with the cards you're dealt. And if that doesn't work... improvise."

Moon smiled, although Kirk using her real name while she was in Scout uniform made her flinch a bit. Especially with the Youma Commander nearby. Luckily, they were just out of earshot. Or at least she hoped they were. Again, Kirk gave her that roguish smile and told her to be ready at some point after they get back to _Enterprise_. She understood what he was referring to, revealing who they were to the rest of the Senior Officers. And... she was actually ok with it. After all... they needed to trust each other.

* * *

Several hours after the battle, McCoy and Ami were down in Sickbay examining several of the Youma. Although they appeared humanoid, the silicate levels in their genetic makeup seemed... odd. Almost like they weren't entirely organic. But one thing they did notice... the silicate levels seemed to vary from individual to individual, with some having a much higher concentration than others. And then there was the strange energy readings they were getting off them.

A couple Youma appeared injured, but as McCoy wasn't familiar with them, he was hesitant to try and treat them. It was entirely possible that they could be allergic to simple pain killers! After examining one Youma in particular, the alien asked about his findings.

"Well... hard to make heads or tails on most of this," he admitted.

"Perhaps I can help," the Youma replied. "I'm the Chief Medical Officer aboard the _Atredes_ after all."

"You got a name kid?"

"Inali."

McCoy smiled and gestured for her to follow him. With Ami following her, Inali walked over to one of the monitors on a nearby desk. McCoy brought up the data that he had collected, and Inali took a moment to look it over.

"Well... other than some minor injuries in this group... I don't think I see anything wrong," Inali finally said as she tried to make sense of the foreign display.

"I still don't understand the silicate levels I'm finding," McCoy said.

Inali nodded in response before explaining that the Youma didn't reproduce as humans did. Many were actually created via powerful magic, which made McCoy roll his eyes and mutter about random Voodoo. Inali then suggested organizing the data based on silicate levels. Ami stepped in and did so, and a decreasing pattern was revealed. Inali said that the Youma with lower silicate levels were actually from younger generations, while the Youma with higher levels were from older ones. She also said that younger generations seemed to have less blind loyalty to Queen Beryl than the older ones. Ami thought for a moment. If that was true... than its possible that the oldest Youma might have close to 100% silicate levels, and with each generation, the levels were decreasing to a point where the silicate material would eventually disappear entirely.

 _Are we looking at Youma Evolution in progress?_ the blunette thought. _If they were essentially golems at one point... this trend would lead to them eventually becoming fully organic like us..._

Voicing her theory, Ami asked if it was possible. McCoy thought for a moment before saying that it might be. Inali actually seemed surprised by the idea that they were evolving.

"We need to bring this up with Jim," McCoy finally said.

* * *

"Are you certain of these findings?" Admiral Meiou asked as she leaned forward. She had taken command of the _Lexington_ , and was almost finished gathering the fleet.

 _"According to Dr. McCoy's findings... the Youma were a genetically engineered species, using something besides biological matter as a base, and... the inorganic material's getting replaced with organic."_ Kirk replied over subspace.

Setsuna sat back in her seat. The surrender of the _Atredes_ crew yielded more than they could have hoped. Back during the Silver Millennium, the Lunar Kingdom was never able to capture a _live_ Youma for study. All they had were the dust piles they left behind when defeated. But now... that limited data was being verified and added to. It made sense that Beryl could have used simple materials such as rock to create her army. But if what they discovered was true...

She knew the Youma were still a threat, but at the same time... everything she learned in her time with Starfleet said that there _might_ be a chance at something here. Problem was... the Prime Directive was getting in the way. If the younger Youma rose up against the older ones... the Federation could do nothing to interfere as it was an internal matter.

"I'll have the Youma crew taken back to Earth," she finally said. "The _Atredes_ herself will be taken to Utopia Planitia for study before being transferred to Jupiter Station. Until this crisis is over, the Youma will have to be detained. They can be just as devious as Romulans Captain. If they're on the level..."

 _"Understood Admiral. Kirk out."_

With that, the channel was closed. Setsuna took a deep breath. Things were getting more complicated.

She was pulled out of her train of thought by a chime at the door.

"Come," she said. The door opened, and revealed Captain Carter.

"Admiral, the _Kyushu_ and _Zeus_ have arrived. The fleet is ready to go on your order."

"Alright. Set course for the Japori System. Once we arrive, the _Zeus_ is to take the Youma ship back to Sol System."

* * *

Ashe was in awe as she was taken on the Diplomat's Tour of the _Enterprise_. Their technology was completely different than what was used by the Dark Kingdom. Wait... did that woman have _green_ skin? And what was that? There's _no way_ that was a human.

Everything she was seeing contradicted what she had been taught about humans. They weren't weak at all. They had a strength of their own through diversity. Unlike what Youma History told of the Lunarian Kingdom, this United Federation of Planets seemed to be a multispecies organization. Not only that, she was shocked to learn that the _Enterprise_ wasn't even a warship! Technically she was considered a heavy cruiser, but she wasn't built for war. She was an explorer, built to venture into the unknown. Science labs, recreational facilities, an arboretum with _actual plants_... pretty much everything that wasn't found on a ship of war. And the comfortable feel of the ship... it was... hard to describe.

Based on what Captain Kirk had been saying earlier, The Federation's "Military" branch was called Starfleet, and filled multiple roles from supporting colonies and providing humanitarian aid to exploration and even defense, and their ships were built to fill multiple roles.

"I've spoken with Admiral Meiou about your situation as well," Kirk finally said. "You and your crew will be taken back to Earth, however the Admiral feels we should be cautious."

"I understand Captain," Ashe replied. "I assume we will be detained for the duration of this conflict?"

"I'm afraid so."

"I doubt the Dark Kingdom would be so kind. Thank you for your hospitality Captain. I am learning a lot about your Federation, and... maybe if the opportunity presents itself... I would like a chance to learn more and... maybe even earn a command again someday."

Kirk actually smiled. If there was one thing he could relate to with Ashe, it was being a Starship Captain. And it was sounding like she was considering going all the way with this defection and applying to Starfleet Academy. Based on how she handled the _Atredes_ , he had no doubt that she would make Captain. Saying that he looked forward to that day, he escorted her back to her quarters. After another brief conversation, Kirk left the Youma officer and made his way to the Turbolift. There was still the matter of the Scouts on his plate. He was just trying to figure out how to break it to the rest of the senior staff... and coming up empty.

"I wonder how Pike's handling this?" he thought out loud.

* * *

"Serena... slow down or you're gonna get Brain Freeze..."

"Does this always happen when she's nervous?"

"You should have seen her the day before she took the _Kobayashi Maru_..."

Down in the mess hall, Serena was depopulating the ship's Ice Cream in a nervous fit of eating her favorite treat. Ami, familiar with her blonde friend's eating habits, was powerless to stop her but tried anyways. Lita, Rene, and Mina just watched in fascination at Serena's resistance to the dreaded Brain Freeze that would normally have struck by now... or... two bowls ago for a normal human at least.

"You know... whenever someone took the _Kobayashi Maru_... I helped organize Maru parties," Lita spoke up. "Even had a live feed showing what was going on. It was almost as big as my old boyfriend's Super Bowl parties."

"I think I was at one of those..." Mina said thoughtfully. "Good opportunity to take notes on what worked and what didn't work."

"I'm pretty sure the 'didn't work' list was pretty long," Rene said as she took a bite of her own Ice Cream.

"Yea... even after hearing stories that a Cadet actually beat the No Win Scenario recently too..."

"That was Jim."

All eyes turned to Serena. It was the first time she actually spoke since she started on her nervous binge. She blinked for a moment before sticking another spoonful into her mouth.

"What? I thought everyone knew that already!" she said. "I heard Kirk took the test three times, and on the third... he actually beat the test."

Ami thought for a moment, remembering something she heard back at the Academy. Serena was right. Kirk did take the test three times. And she heard that he actually slipped something into the program that altered the test, providing a means to save the _Kobayashi Maru_. In short... he had cheated. He was disciplined for it just before Vulcan was destroyed, but was later given a commendation for Original Thinking. After that... measures were taken to prevent tampering with the test in the future.

"Anyways..." Ami finally said. "The day before Serena took the _Maru_... she practically took over one of the local Ice Cream Parlors in San Francisco and went nuts. Took me and Admiral Pike a couple hours to pry her out of there. And by then... I think half the Ice Cream in there was gone. I was positive we'd need a Tactical Team in full gear to get her out at one point."

"I still remember Dad muttering about forgetting his crowbar on the way back to campus," Serena muttered.

"I heard something about a cadet raiding an Ice Cream shop..." Lita said thoughtfully. "So that was you Serena?"

"Yeeeeaaaaa."

"Well... look on the bright side! You got us here too!"

Serena just took another spoonful of Ice Cream and sighed. She had to admit, having her friends here was helping. But if just felt... strange that she was going to reveal this secret to a group of officers. And not just any officers either. The officers who stopped Nero. To Serena... it felt like she was going to be up in front of legends for some reason, and she was going to reveal to them something that she was told was to remain a secret. But Lita was right. She wasn't alone. Looking up from her bowl, Serena took in the support that _her_ team was offering. Ami, with her blue hair and honest face. Lita and her hands on style. Mina's apparent innocence. And finally... Rene and her almost sage like demeanor at times. They all came from different backgrounds, with different personalities... but they were a team. And that team was to reveal themselves to another team.

Kirk's team.

This... this was command. This is what Kirk deals with on a daily basis. Balancing the different personalities and styles of the members of his crew and making it _work_. With that realization, Serena smiled. Kirk was right all along. Make the most of the hand you're dealt, and improvise when the situation calls for it.

She went for another spoonful, only to discover that her bowl was empty. Serena looked around the table with an almost predatory gleam in her eye. Ami instantly recognized the look, and pulled her own bowl away from the blonde. Lita however... was distracted by the arrival of another engineer. Taking advantage of the situation, Serena quickly grabbed Lita's bowl and slipped her own empty bowl in its place. By the time Lita turned back around... the deed was done and Serena was already happily working away at her pilfered frozen treat.

"Um... I'm positive I had some left..." Lita said as she scratched her head. Mina was trying not to laugh while Rene was rolling her eyes. Ami... just sighed.

For the first time since their Academy days... the Ice Cream Bandit struck again.

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: Again, I toyed with the idea that the Youma were evolving from their original forms, only went into more medical _technobabble_ (Yes Technobabble is an actual term that was used in the writing of various episodes of Star Trek) than I did in _Sierra Echo_. Also this chapter is a leadup to the fallout of Ashe revealing the Scouts to the _Enterprise_ officers last chapter. And I don't think _anything_ Sailor Moon related could be legit without _something_ involving Ice Cream. The idea of cadets figuring out how to observe the dreaded Kobayashi Maru tests was because... well... its the No Win Scenario. They still wanna beat it though. No cadets were ridiculed for failure in the writing of this story. After all... it IS _the_ No Win Scenario.

Serena swiping Lita's Ice Cream was inspired by a scene in an episode of Stargate SG-1 where Teal'c stole O'Neill's Ice Cream right out of his hand and gave him the empty cup.


	10. Saddle Up

Chapter 10

Saddle Up

Kirk leaned back in his chair as the senior staff filed into the Conference Room. As each officer took a seat, Kirk took note of their expressions. Scotty seemed to be his usual self, while Uhura remained respectfully silent. Chekov was looking a little like he had been sent to the principal's office, while Sulu just seemed casual about the whole thing. McCoy was looking over the data collected from his examination of the Youma again, and Spock... well... Spock was being Spock. After a few minutes, Serena and her team filed in as well. Sulu and Scotty seemed a bit confused as to why they were present as well, as they actually sat up when the girls entered.

Ami walked over by Spock and handed him a couple data chips before stepping back. Rene and Mina seemed nervous, while Lita and Serena looked ready to break and run the first chance they got, although Serena seemed to be doing a better job of hiding it.

"Alright... now that everyone is here... Spock... what did you find?" Kirk finally said. The Vulcan inserted one of the data chips into the terminal and keyed up some of the stored data. A map of the Tau Dewa Sector came up for everyone to see.

"After accessing the _Atredes_ ' main computer, Lt. Anderson and I were able to cross reference the Youma Star charts with our own. I am confident we have determined the source of the Youma attacks. Lieutenant?"

For a moment, Ami hesitated. She was caught off guard by the Commander passing the reigns to her. After regaining her composure, she stepped forward and manipulated the console herself, highlighting a specific area of the Sector map.

"Using the information we got about a 'Blue Nebula' and the star charts, we've figured out that the Youma have established a beachhead here, in the Azure Nebula. Its right along the border between Federation and Klingon space, and pretty close to the Romulan Neutral Zone as well. Also... based on the sensor logs from the _Atredes_ , we figured out that the beachhead is not an outpost, but some sort of rift in space."

Ami then brought up the data on the _Atredes_ herself.

"According to the Youma Computer, the _Atredes_ is classified as a Jadeite class cruiser, Guardian variant. Apparently they have several variations of ship classes that fill specific roles. The _Archon_ was a Striker variant. Each variant is differentiated by a different redundant subsystem that emulates Youma durability. Guardians have redundant shields, Strikers redundant propulsion... and so on. There is also mention of other classes in the database. One of which sounded ominous, the Metalia class. Unfortunately... there isn't much info on that."

Amy then brought up another image, this one of what appeared to be a human female wearing a strange purple dress and holding a scepter.

"And this... is the person responsible for the whole mess. Queen Beryl."

Everyone muttered a bit, taking in her appearance. This was the leader of the Dark Kingdom, and she did look menacing, but at the same time... oddly attractive. A disturbing combination. After a moment, Ami turned the floor over to Spock again. The Vulcan took a moment to consider his next words.

"As we have determined, it appears as though the recent attacks against the Federation were meant to be retaliatory for actions perceived to be perpetrated by the Federation in the past. Essentially, Queen Beryl has launched a campaign of revenge. However... the time table for this past defeat of her's clearly indicates that it was not in fact the Federation at all that was responsible."

"This 'Lunar Kingdom' the Youma keep mentioning?" Uhura asked.

"Precisely lieutenant," Spock replied. "Apparently thousands of years ago, the Sol System was the center of the Lunar Kingdom, and their capital was in fact... Earth's Moon."

As Spock continued with the pieced together history of the conflict between the Dark and Lunar Kingdoms, Serena fidgeted in her spot. Everything he was saying seemed to resonate with her for some reason, but the blonde couldn't put her finger on why. The information was a combination of what Admiral Meiou had told them and what they discovered in the Youma computer. Serena was pulled out of her train of thought when Spock finally started in on what she was nervous about.

"Apparently, each planet in the Sol System was assigned a... guardian, drawn from the various royal families across the System. These Guardians were meant to safeguard the Kingdom as well as fill specific roles."

"Wait... you don't actually mean the Senshi do you?" Sulu interrupted. "Its just a story."

"Some stories are known to have a basis in fact Mr. Sulu," Spock replied. "If you would..."

Sulu took a deep breath, not expecting to be put on the spot like that.

"Well... I don't remember much, but the stories I do remember say that the Senshi drew their power from the worlds they took their names from, and were, for lack of a better term, essentially super heroes who fought evil. Like the Commander said, there was one for each planet, except for Earth, who's guardian was a prince," he said. "But what do old stories have to do with all this? And why did the Youma Captain think we sent Senshi over to her ship?"

"Because Mr. Sulu... we _did_ ," Spock replied.

Serena bit her lip. It was almost time for the big reveal... and she was getting cold feet. The only one who wasn't quite as confused was Dr. McCoy, having seen Mina. Said Country Doctor mentioned what he saw, drawing confused looks from the others. Kirk just had a knowing smile on his face as he looked back at Serena. Closing her eyes, Serena stepped forward as Sulu continued to say that the Senshi were just stories. Her hand reached into the pouch on her belt and gripped her pen.

"Its... its true," she managed to say, drawing everyone's attention. "Its all true."

"Vat do you mean?" Chekov asked in confusion.

"She means... that Scouts were sent over to the _Atredes_ ," Rene spoke up, stepping up next to Serena. "And they are here right now... in this room."

McCoy's eyes locked onto Mina, who shrank back a bit. Uhura thought for a moment before piecing together something that seemed unlikely. The only ones they managed to beam over before the _Atredes_ secondary shields came up was Serena's team...

Kirk stood up and put a reassuring hand on Serena's shoulder.

"Show them," he said, drawing more confused looks from the assembled officers. Serena closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Kirk stepped back as the blonde pulled the pen out and brandished it in her hand. After quietly saying the words, Serena was enveloped in golden light. Scotty actually threw a hand up to shield his eyes. A moment later the light faded, revealing a blonde woman with a unique "Meatball" hairstyle standing in Serena's place. Her outfit was predominantly white with red boots and bows as well as a blue collar and skirt. Two gold stripes broke up the white elbow length gloves, appearing to be in the same place the rank stripes were on a Starfleet uniform. Being the closest, Uhura also noted that the top had the same pattern as a Starfleet uniform. They were soon surprised by four more flashes of light, and soon the blonde was joined by others in similar outfits, each with their own color schemes, green and pink bows, orange and blue, two shades of blue, and red and purple. McCoy instantly recognized the orange one as Mina before the rest registered in his mind as Lt. Pike and the other young girls. For several minutes, silence permeated the Conference Room.

"Bloody Hell..." Scotty finally said. "Ye all look like cheerleaders!"

"Eh... remember when I said something was complicated Mr. Scott?" Jupiter asked.

"Aye..."

"Well... this is it."

"Well..." Scotty trailed off. "That's just great. Are there any _more_ surprises? Should I expect a talkin' cat next?"

"You knew," McCoy confronted Kirk. "You knew this all along didn't you?"

"We were under orders not to reveal this information," Spock replied.

"Orders from who?"

"Admiral Meiou."

"Oh that's just great Jim, you just pissed off an admiral... _again_."

Kirk adjusted his uniform before planting his hands on the table and saying his hand was forced with the previous engagement, as not only had Commander Ashe revealed the Scouts were aboard her ship, McCoy had actually treated one for an injured leg after the ship was secured. He also said that everything they just saw was not to leave this room. The identity of the Scouts was to be considered classified information. He then motioned for the Scouts to identify themselves. After introductions were complete, Sulu was actually working through something in his head. He remembered there were supposed to be _nine_ Senshi, yet... only _five_ were present now. Shaking his head, he decided that now wasn't the time to bring that up. There were more important things to worry about, such as preventing a war.

"Ya know lass," Scotty finally said. "Ye and Lt. Anderson are kinda cute in those getups."

Mercury blushed at the compliment while Jupiter gave a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of her head.

"Um... thanks Mr. Scott," Jupiter replied.

"Alright... now if everyone is done drooling," Kirk said in a sarcastic tone before getting serious. "We still got work to do. I want the _Enterprise_ ready for anything. As soon as the fleet arrives, we're going after the Youma. We don't know what they've held back, but you can be sure its probably bigger than what we've already faced. Dismissed."

* * *

"My Queen... preparations for our attack continue."

"Excellent. What of the prisoners?"

"The Klingon warrior is defiant as ever. The child... I don't understand what use she could be."

"The child is Romulan, and may be of use to us should we decide to turn our attention to the Star Empire once we're done with the Lunarians."

"Its been thousands of years..."

"You dare question me? Need I remind you of what happened to your predecessor?"

"No... my Queen... I meant no disrespect and... I should return to my duties."

"You are dismissed."

She watched as the Youma left, a lot more quickly than normal. Bringing up a live feed from the detention center, she observed the two captives. The Klingon was pacing back and forth, occasionally spouting what she assumed were obscenities at his captors. Words like _petaQ, baktag,_ and _Gre'thor._ The Romulan child was curled up in a ball in the farthest corner of her cell. After a moment, she changed the feed to one outside the station with a wave of her hand over the orb, showing the gathering armada. And right in the center of it was the crown jewel of the Dark Kingdom. Her flagship. Named after the very being who gave her the power to challenge the Lunarians in the first place.

With an evil smile, Queen Beryl's thoughts turned to conquest and revenge.

* * *

As soon as the fleet arrived, Kirk advised them of the situation, and Admiral Meiou agreed that they would have to move on the rift. But there was a complication. Klingon ships were detected massing along the border, and there was even some movement along the Romulan Neutral Zone. While the _Atredes_ was taken back to Sol System, the rest of the fleet was going to remain while the _Enterprise_ proceeded to the Azure Nebula. Until they knew what the Klingons and Romulans intended to do, Admiral Meiou's hands were tied.

With a neutral expression, Setsuna watched as the _Enterprise_ warped out of the system. It was up to them once again to beat the odds. She was brought out of her musing as a report of a Romulan ship approaching them rang out. Sitting up straight, she requested that they hail the intruder, only to get a report that the Romulans were hailing _them_.

"On screen," Setsuna said. An image of a male Romulan appeared on the viewscreen, but he wasn't wearing a uniform. In fact... it looked more like he was wearing something comparable to Vulcan Ambassadorial Robes.

 _"Federation vessel, this is Ambassador Dar of the Romulan Star Empire."_

"Admiral Setsuna Meiou of Starfleet, commanding the _USS Lexington_. Your reputation precedes you Ambassador."

 _"I apologize for this violation of the Neutral Zone, however I felt it was necessary. My daughter is somewhere out here in Tau Dewa..."_

"I am aware of your missing daughter Ambassador. And I would love to help find her, however we are dealing with a critical situation that threatens not only Federation security, but potentially the entire Quadrant."

The Ambassador seemed to consider what he would say next before nodding his head.

 _"If this situation is that dire... then perhaps in the interests of Galactic Peace... we should work together."_

"I'd be honored to have you stand with us Ambassador. Consider your violation of Treaty overlooked. Now... we just need to figure out what the _Klingons_ are doing..."

* * *

The blue clouds of the Azure Nebula were certainly a sight to behold. Consisting of oxygen and argon, with traces of fluorine, theta-xenon, and sirillium... the nebula, a class 11, was certainly worthy of its name. The clouds shifted as the massive white form of the _Enterprise_ sailed through them, searching for something that didn't belong within.

Ami had her eyes glued to the sensors, looking for anything that seemed out of place in the nebula. Unlike the Mutara Nebula, the Azure Nebula didn't make sensors useless. Adjusting something on her console, she double checked some readings she was getting. Something seemed... off about these readings.

"Commander Spock," she called out. "Can you come take a look at these readings?"

The Vulcan approached her and inquired as to what she was referring to. After getting an explanation and allowing him to see for himself, Spock uttered the one word that usually meant something was interesting.

"Fascinating."

"Spock?"

"Captain, I believe Lt. Anderson may have discovered the Youma Rift," Spock replied to Kirk.

"Anderson?"

Ami went over her readings, and sure enough, there was a constant energy reading that didn't belong in a nebula.

"I think so sir. Relaying coordinates to the Helm now."

"Sulu, lets check it out."

Fifteen minutes later, the _Enterprise_ was holding position near what appeared to be a tear in the fabric of space/time. The orange glow contrasted with the surrounding blue clouds, making it look almost like a Gate to Hell or something. Kirk was now pacing around the Bridge, trying to think of how they would seal it, as there appeared to be nothing on this side generating the rift.

"Captain," Serena spoke up, getting his attention. Kirk turned to face the young blonde woman. After a moment of hesitation, Serena volunteered to take a small team through the rift, stating that it was a risk to take the _Enterprise_ in without any guarantee they'd return. Kirk did agree that it was a risk, but he was hesitant to send anyone without backup.

"Jim... something the size of a shuttle might get through undetected. But the _Enterprise_ would be seen instantly," Serena countered. "We don't know what's on the other side, and if the _Enterprise_ is destroyed, then there would be nothing to warn the fleet of what's coming."

Kirk bit his lip. Serena had a point. But at the same time...

"Alright," he finally said. "Take a team of volunteers... and be careful Lieutenant."

"I will sir," Serena replied. "Besides... I think this might be a situation the Scouts have to face alone."

Kirk nodded in response. He had to admit, it seemed like everything was centered around them. Serena called for Ami, then asked Uhura to summon Lita and Rene to the shuttlebay before entering the turbolift. Once the doors closed behind the pair of women, Kirk turned to face the viewscreen.

"I take it you have no intention of allowing Lt. Pike and her team to go alone?" Spock asked.

"Not exactly Spock," Kirk replied. "They may be some kind of heroes, but they're still members of my crew. I'll let them go, wait a while, then... then we go after them."

He turned to face his First Officer.

"I have no intention of letting them fight alone Spock."

* * *

By the time Serena and Ami arrived in the shuttlebay, Rene was finishing up loading a crate into the _Artemis_. Lita and Mina were double checking something, making sure everything was ready. When Serena approached the crate, Rene opened it and pulled out a Phaser Rifle.

"Figured we might need the extra firepower," the raven haired Security Officer replied. Serena took the rifle, looked it over herself, then put it down on the crate.

"Every little bit helps I guess," she said. "Lita, Mina, can you two come over for a sec?"

Everyone gathered around their team leader. Serena took a deep breath.

"I'm not going to lie to you. We might not come back from this. So if anyone wants to back out now..."

"You ain't leavin' me behind!" Lita chirped.

"You'll need help," Rene added, emphasizing her point by picking up the rifle.

"I'm not letting a friend go alone," Ami replied.

"Are we there yet?" Mina asked with a sideways smile.

Serena smiled. They were willing to see this through to the end.

"Then gear up. We're going in, and we are _not_ holding anything back."

The shuttlebay doors opened, and the _Artemis_ emerged. Swinging around the _Enterprise_ , the small Moore type shuttle accelerated and shot into the rift.

* * *

Author's behind the scenes: This chapter was mostly for revealing the team to the crew of the _Enterprise,_ and to set up for the next chapter. Also... the name of the Romulan Ambassador was not just a random choice. The reasoning will be revealed next chapter.

The comment from Scotty about a talking cat is a nod to Luna and Artemis, who in this story are not actually with the Scouts, but with Setsuna.


	11. I May Fall

Chapter 11

I May Fall

"I'm glad you don't serve meals on these flights Venus..."

"Not my fault this thing's got more turbulence than Jupiter's atmosphere!"

"HEY! Don't diss my planet!"

Venus fought with the controls as the _Artemis_ practically bounced through the rift. Mercury was clinging to her seat to try and keep from getting thrown into a bulkhead. Outside, the view was... interesting. It literally looked like they were diving through a swirling vortex of color. Looking back behind her, Moon saw Jupiter and Mars latched on to anything they could get their hands on. They were literally getting bounced around like ragdolls. Moon herself attached herself to some hand holds, and was surprised that she felt the metal give a bit in her deathgrip.

"Mercury! Is there anything you can do to help?" Moon asked.

"Could try reconfiguring the Navigational Deflector, but I don't know how long that would take," the resident blunette replied.

A minute after that, the shuttle bounced again, and stabilized. Venus checked over her readings before looking out the front viewport. They were clear of the rift. It looked like they were in another nebula, this one a dark, ominous red in color. In the distance they could see what looked like a fleet of ships, along with two massive objects. Mercury did a quick scan, and identified the two larger objects as a ship and a space station.

"How much you want to bet that station is generating the rift?" Moon asked.

Venus angled the _Artemis_ in on a vector to bring them in on the station... then shut everything down after pulsing the impulse engines.

"What are you doing?" Mars asked.

"Bringing us in cold," Venus replied. "They probably detected our arrival, but with luck, they'll confuse us for debris and ignore us as long as we're not under power. Once we're close, I'll bring the engines online again."

For fifteen minutes, the _Artemis_ drifted towards the Youma station unmolested. Moon couldn't take her eyes off the massive ship in the center of the formation of ships. To her, it was almost like facing the _Narada_ herself. Big, imposing, and just plain scary.

"If that thing gets through..." she trailed off.

"We'll stop them," Mercury said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I hope you're right," Moon replied, turning to face her.

As soon as she was sure they were close enough, Venus brought everything back online and started hunting for a landing zone. Luck was with them, as she found an open hanger with an airlock shield. Sticking her tongue out the corner of her mouth, Venus angled the _Artemis_ for approach. Mars and Jupiter grabbed a couple Phaser Rifles and got into position to come out shooting.

"The biggest offensive since the Lunar War, and here we are wasting away in a hanger on a space station!"

"I blame you."

"Shut the hell up!"

Two Youma were arguing in the hanger when they heard the sound of something landing behind them. Turning in confusion, they saw a small ship that was clearly not Youma designed. The strange arrowhead insignia also made it clear it wasn't one of theirs. Well... that and the name _Artemis_ displayed on the side in Lunarian. Edging closer to the shuttle, they were surprised when the hatch opened and they came face to face with the barrels of two rifles.

"Hi! How are ya?" Jupiter asked with an evil grin on her face.

"Well... that was easy," Mars said as she finished tying up the Youma they surprised. They were now immobilized and gagged in what amounted to a closet off to the side of the hanger. The rest of the Scouts made sure the hanger was secure before meeting back up.

"Ok... now to figure out how to close the rift..." Venus said.

"We gotta figure out how they're generating it first," Mercury replied.

"Why not just destroy the station?" Moon suggested.

All eyes turned to the lead meatball head. Moon shrugged, saying that it wouldn't make sense for one of the ships to make it. It had to be the station itself. Smash the station, the rift collapses. Jupiter said it wouldn't be as easy as tripping over a power conduit and causing a chain reaction. While they were discussing this, Mercury had found a nearby terminal and was hacking it for information. Data came up on her visor, translated from Youma into English, as the Mercury Computer and her Tricorder processed the data. Something odd came up in the flood of data though. Two familiar words appeared. Klingon and Romulan. Doing a search, she discovered that there were prisoners being held in the detention area of the Station, a Klingon warrior and a Romulan. Alerting the others to what she found, Mercury suggested a rescue.

"We don't have time," Mars said in a neutral tone.

"We'll make time," Moon countered. "Mercury, see if you can find a map of the station. We've got a lot of work to do."

"Already working on it," Mercury replied, getting back to work on the console.

* * *

"My Queen... I'm not sure but..."

"But what?"

The Youma gulped before turning to face Beryl. She explained that an anomalous heat signature had appeared near the rift before disappearing, then reappeared practically on top of the station itself. Beryl narrowed her eyes for a moment before dismissing the report.

"Recalibrate the sensors if you want," she said. "We are on the eve of our ultimate victory over the Lunarian Kingdom. There is nothing that can stop us now."

Beryl turned and sat down in her throne again, a satisfied smirk crossing her face. Right now, she was feeling as though nothing could stop her this time. Not even the long lost Senshi. She could already picture herself standing in the ruined Lunar Palace, basking in her victory.

* * *

Kirk was pacing. They hadn't heard anything yet from either Pike or the Fleet.

"You're going to wear a hole in the deck if you keep doing that Jim," McCoy pointed out.

"Sorry Bones... its just... I hate all this waiting," Kirk replied. "Makes me feel like we're about to get jumped or something..."

"Its never easy Jim," McCoy said. "Especially for someone like you."

"Thanks... I think..."

* * *

"Honorless pet'aQ!"

"How many times have you called me that now?"

"Mock me all you want Demon. But you will never conquer the Klingon Empire!"

"By the Guardian... Shut up already!"

"You will not silence me Demon!"

She gave an exasperated sigh as she once again found herself in a verbal sparing match with their Klingon prisoner. It was really getting old, but the alien just would not shut up! So far the only one she actually enjoyed watching was the Romulan child. This... creature who insists on insulting her constantly... not so much.

Another string of insults came at her from the Klingon, and she decided she had enough. Getting up she was about to drain him of enough energy to shut him up when something poked her in the shoulder. She turned and...

The last thing she saw was a fist flying into her face.

"Ow... that kinda hurt a bit..." Jupiter said, shaking her hand. She looked up from the Youma and saw a rather irate Klingon behind a forcefield. Deciding to let Mars handle the big guy, Jupiter checked the other occupied cell and discovered a small figure huddled in the corner. Mercury finally lowered the barrier, and Jupiter approached slowly.

"Its ok," she said to the child. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The child looked up, and Jupiter saw she had pointed ears. The Romulan prisoner was a child, and she looked terrified. Getting down on her knees to be near the same level, Jupiter extended a hand. It was an invitation for the child. After a minute, the child took Jupiter's hand and relaxed a bit.

"You... you're not like the monsters..." she said.

"No," Jupiter replied. "I _fight_ the monsters."

After coaxing the child into her arms, Jupiter reassured the girl that she was safe. The other Scouts, and even the Klingon, were impressed with how the brunette handled the situation. Pulling back a bit to look the girl in the eye, Jupiter gave her a warm smile.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Caithlin," was the reply. "Caithlin Dar."

"Nice to meet you Caithlin. I'm Jupiter."

Mercury looked over at Moon. She recognized the name from a report about the daughter of Ambassador Dar going missing in Tau Dewa. Turning her attention to the Klingon, Mercury actually fingered her rifle.

"You got a name warrior?" Mars asked.

"Kruge," he replied. "You are human..."

"Yes..." Mars replied in a neutral tone.

"I have never seen a human in such an outfit."

"Its complicated."

Kruge observed the humans. It wasn't until the one called Jupiter somehow pulled out a Federation badge and gave it to the child that he identified them as some kind of Federation Special Forces or something similar. Starfleet was working on advanced weapons. After the other humans conferred for a minute, the raven-haired one named Mars approached him.

"We can't take you with us..."

"I got an idea," the blonde who seemed to be the leader interrupted. "Kruge, I want you to swear on your honor than no harm shall come to Caithlin."

"I am not a..."

"Swear it!"

Kruge blinked. Her tone indicated that he had no choice in the matter.

"Very well. No harm shall come to the Romulan. I swear it."

"Good," the leader said before offering him her rifle. "We've got a shuttle in the hanger. Mercury can give you directions. I want you to take Caithlin to the shuttle and wait for us there. We still have a job to do, but we can't do it if we have to protect you two as well."

Moon watched as Kruge considered his options. He finally agreed, and Mercury stepped up to direct him to the _Artemis_. While she was doing that, Moon approached Jupiter and complimented her on calming Caithlin down. Jupiter replied that she had experience with children. With a smile Moon felt a bit better about the whole situation. They managed to at least help two people. Now they just had to complete their mission and get out with them. Once they were sure Kruge and Caithlin were on their way, Moon called for her team to continue on.

* * *

"MY QUEEN!"

Beryl glared at the unfortunate individual who was about to die, asking what was so urgent. She was shocked when the Youma reported a Senshi attack in the detention block. Getting up off her throne, Beryl approached the orb that acted as a console and waved her hand over its smooth surface. She waved her hand several times, scrolling through different camera views until one caught her attention. Five individuals in Senshi uniform running down the corridor, blasting any Youma that got in their way. Gritting her teeth, Beryl almost knocked the orb over in anger. She was so close! With victory in her grasp... Senshi attack from nowhere, and here of all places!

"Find them!" Beryl ordered.

"My Queen... we might be able to destroy them easily," another Youma reported. "If we can trap them near one of the outer airlocks..."

"Do what you have to to drive them into position!"

* * *

Admiral Meiou leaned back in her chair. A group of Klingon Battlecruisers had crossed into Federation space, and were now in a standoff with her fleet. Ambassador Dar stood next to her as she regarded the Klingon commander, a young man named Kor. She had no doubt that Kor was skilled, however she didn't have time for posturing.

"Commander Kor, we are _attempting_ to deal with a situation..."

 _"Admiral Meiou... We have only had a few raids by these so called 'Dark Kingdom' ships. All pushed back by our forces. If anything, this seems to be primarily a threat to the Federation."_

"Commander," Ambassador Dar spoke up. "If this threat is real... what's to stop them from continuing their conquest into not only Romulan space, but Klingon territory as well? While it is true their primary focus in on the Federation... what's to stop them from continuing after they win?"

Kor narrowed his eyes. There was no response for several minutes.

 _"You have a point... Romulan. If we should combine our forces... what are your terms Admiral?"_

"As we are in Federation territory... I have authority here Commander. I will accept this as a joint effort, but _Starfleet_ will take point. Therefor... you will respect _my_ command. Understood Commander?"

 _"If you're as skilled in battle as you are with your tongue... you would make a formidable opponent Admiral. I will accept your terms for a joint venture."_

"Thank you Commander. You are an honorable man, and a credit to the Empire."

The channel closed, and Setsuna sighed. She actually felt as old as she really was right now. She ordered the Helm to coordinate with the Klingon ships before ordering a course set for the Azure Nebula. Things might actually work out better now. Instead of just a small fleet of Federation Starships, she was bringing along a Romulan Warbird and a squadron of Klingon Battlecruisers. If the Youma did come through... they would be in for one hell of a welcome.

* * *

Once again they got diverted by a forcefield. Moon growled as she lead her team down the maze of corridors. Mercury was trying to analyze the forcefields each time they hit one. It seemed like they were being forced in a certain direction. She tried voicing this when they hit another forcefield. Growling under her breath, Mercury followed the rest of the team.

"Why aren't they just trapping us?" Venus asked. "If they're erecting forcefields to block us..."

"I think they want us somewhere specific," Mercury replied. "The question is... where?"

They continued on for several more corridors until their path was totally blocked by a forcefield. Mars turned around, only to see another one activate behind them.

"We're trapped now," Mars said.

"But why here?" Venus asked.

The answer came from alarms going off. Looking around, the Scouts soon saw something that made their blood run cold.

An airlock.

"Oh... shi..." Moon was cut off as the airlock suddenly snapped open. The Scouts grasped for the closest thing they could to keep from being blown into space. The station was still pumping atmosphere into their area, trying to combat the sudden loss of pressure, but it wasn't helping their situation. It felt like they were in a hurricane with the air being sucked out into the void. Mercury screamed as she lost her grip. Jupiter managed to catch her before she shot out the airlock, but was now starting to lose her grip as well.

The forcefields that had blocked them in deactivated, and the Scouts were now getting buffeted by debris as well, everything from tools to the occasional box. Moon tried to hold on, but her fingers were slipping, and the crap hitting her wasn't helping.

The torrent of air was too much for them. The Scouts lost their grip and were flung out into space.

* * *

CLIFFHANGER! *Gets crash helmet*

Author's Behind the Scenes: I threw in a couple references to Star Trek in this chapter. I'm sure eagle eyed fans will spot them instantly, but for those who aren't... Kruge is supposed to be the same Klingon commander from _Star Trek III: The Search for Spock_ who was obsessed with Genesis, seeing it as a powerful weapon. Basically in the alternate universe here, encountering the Scouts put him on that path because he believes the Federation is making weapons. Caithlin Dar is a much younger version of Ambassador Caithlin Dar from _Star Trek V: The Final Frontier._ Meeting the Scouts here in the alternate universe puts her on the path that will lead her to being an Ambassador after seeing how humans were willing to help her as a child, and I figure she's probably in her late 20s or so in the movie, and the AR movies took place around 2258. Also... Commander Kor is supposed to be the same person as General Kor from _Star Trek V_ as well.

Hope I got Beryl right. All my research has pointed to her being pretty arrogant and quick to anger.

I wanted to show some of the interaction between the Scouts in action again. And I chose to leave off with a cliffhanger to help set up the next chapter. And the origin of the chapter's title was actually from me listening to the soundtrack to _RWBY_ , specifically the song _I May Fall_. Just seemed to fit.


	12. Canceling the Apocalypse

Chapter 12

Canceling the Apocalypse

She was dead.

She was dead.

She was... not... dead?

Moon opened her eyes. It seemed impossible, but she was still alive. She was still tumbling through space, but... still alive. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, Moon tried whatever she could to stabilize her body in the vacuum of space. Again in surprise, she succeeded. But now the problem of getting back to the station. Looking around, Moon saw the others, looking just as shocked as she was. Jupiter, Mars, and Venus were brushing their floating hair out of their faces, while Mercury had a look of utter disbelief.

Jupiter opened her mouth to try and say something, only for no words to leave her mouth. Shaking her head, and having to bat her ponytail out of her face, the brunette shrugged. It made sense that they wouldn't be able to communicate verbally, as there was no air for sound to travel through. Venus tried something stupid to move, and pretty much failed since swimming in space was about as effective as it was on land. The blonde was going nowhere fast. Mars just crossed her arms across her chest and closed her eyes for a moment in thought. Mercury was scanning the area, trying to find out how they survived.

Moon closed her eyes as well, trying to think of anything that could help. They couldn't remote pilot the _Artemis_ out to pick them up. They couldn't get back to the station on their own without some way to propel them... wait...

Opening her eyes, Moon looked over at Jupiter, who was still having to bat her ponytail away every few seconds. Each time she would swat it away, her hair would just swing around without anything to stop it. Finally Jupiter had enough and actually grabbed her hair. Watching this, Moon was reminded of something she learned during her Academy days, specifically about Extra Vehicular Activity, and pretty much basic physics. Without gravity, there isn't anything to stop an object short of hitting another object. And every action has an equal, and opposite, reaction.

Every action...

Moon pulled her rifle off her back. The other Scouts looked at her, wondering what she was planning on doing. Moon just swung around so that her back was to the station and aimed out into open space, bracing the rifle in such a way that would make her Academy instructors cringe, centering it on her body instead of braced against her shoulder.

She pulled the trigger.

Equal, and opposite, reaction.

A crimson bolt flew from the barrel, but Moon wasn't interested in _shooting_ anything. It was the _recoil_ she was concerned about. And sure enough the rifle bucked back into her. It felt like she got punched, but it still had the desired effect. The action of her firing her weapon had the opposite reaction of pushing her backwards. And just as she hoped, she was starting to drift back towards the station. Firing off a few more shots, Moon tried to pick up some speed. It still hurt.

The others saw this, and blinked in surprise. It was a half assed plan, but it was working. Just as Jupiter was pulling her own rifle off her back, she saw Mars was not doing the same at all. Instead, she just started gesturing with her hands. Forgetting that they actually couldn't speak out here, Jupiter was about to try and ask what the raven-haired Security Officer was doing. Until she unleashed a fireball. The effect was instant, as Mars started sailing towards the station, at a faster rate then Moon achieved by firing her Phaser Rifle. Repositioning her rifle on her back, Jupiter decided to try the same thing. Although she wasn't familiar with what her own powers were, she closed her eyes and focused. Electrical energy started arcing around her hands, and her eyes snapped open. Swinging her hands forward, Jupiter unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning, launching her backwards towards the station.

The others followed suit, with Venus unleashing her energy beam, and Mercury discovering her Ice powers with a volley of shards. Moon slung her rifle over her shoulder and decided to try for herself. A ring of golden energy formed in her hand, looking like a chakram. As soon as she figured it was ready, Moon threw the energy chakram, adding to her velocity.

The plan was working. They were sailing back towards the station. There was just one minor problem...

The Scouts hit the hull of the station.

How to stop.

Taking a moment to recover, Mercury shook her head before reaching out to grab something to keep from drifting away again. The others followed suit, and were now clinging to the Youma Station like fleas. Activating her visor, Mercury tried to find something they could use to get back inside. It detected another airlock a ways away. Catching the attention of the others, Mercury motioned for them to follow her and started crawling across the hull. With some difficulty, the others followed behind her. After what felt like forever, they arrived at the airlock. Using her tricorder to hack the controls, Mercury managed to open the door. Once everyone was inside, she closed the outer door and started the cycling process.

* * *

"No idea what those energy bursts were, but they were too small to be anything really."

"At least the Queen decided to step out for a while... I was getting tired of her breathing down my neck."

"You know if she heard that, you'd be as good as dead."

"Like I care... what are you doing?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"The airlock's cycling."

"Shouldn't be."

"It is. Pressurizing as we speak."

"Run a diagnostic."

"I am!"

"Its done..."

One of the Youma got up from her console and slowly approached the Operations Airlock. One was installed here in case of emergencies. Frankly it was a bit of a stupid idea, as there wasn't usually anything docked there anyways. The indicator showed that it was pressurized alright. Her hand was reaching for the door controls when the airlock's inner door suddenly slid open, and four rifle barrels were shoved into her face.

"Hi! How are ya?" Jupiter asked as the Scouts entered what looked like the command center of the station. The Youma were caught off guard. The other one who was still at a console stood up, only to have Mercury raise her rifle.

"Don't," she warned. Venus and Mars restrained the Youma before shoving them into what looked like a closet. Mercury placed her rifle on a console before accessing the one next to it. She was surprised to find that they were where they wanted to be. Accessing the station's computer wasn't going to be as easy as the brig's systems, but she was going to try.

"Jupiter, I might need a hand in a minute," she said. "Trying to hack in now."

* * *

Once the fleet arrived, Kirk seemed to get even more agitated. There was _still_ no word from Pike's team. And the addition of Klingon and Romulan ships didn't help much. Finally, Kirk had enough.

"Spock. I want a full sensor scan of that rift," he ordered, knowing that odds are Spock was already scanning it. "Anything you can get on the inside of that thing."

"You intend to take us into the rift," Spock replied.

"They may have powers Spock," Kirk said. "But they're still inexperienced."

"Unlike us?" McCoy scoffed. "We don't _know_ what's gonna be waiting for us Jim. Could be the whole damn Youma fleet for all we know."

Kirk sighed. McCoy was right. But he said he wouldn't abandon Pike and her team. Kirk put a hand on his friend's shoulder and said that they had to at least try. He then turned to Spock and told him to coordinate with Scotty if anything was needed to make sure the _Enterprise_ made it through the rift in one piece.

Sulu looked over at Chekov. The young Russian nodded, knowing what was coming. They needed to be ready. Chekov already started powering up the weapons so that they would be ready just as Kirk ordered the ship to be made ready for anything. Sulu plotted a course into the rift. All he'd have to do is bring the Impulse Engines online and they would be on their way.

"All decks report ready Captain," Uhura called out.

 _"Engineering t' Bridge. We're all set down 'ere sir."_ Scotty reported over internal communications.

"Helm standing by Captain," Sulu said.

"Phasers charged Keptin," Chekov chirped. "Torpedo launchers... loaded. Ready to fire."

"Shields fully charged Captain," Spock reported.

"I'd better get down to sickbay before you start this party," McCoy drawled before heading for the turbolift.

Kirk came around the Captain's Chair and sat down, a look of determination on his face. The fate of the Federation hung in the balance.

Just another day in Starfleet.

"Uhura, inform Admiral Meiou that we're going in. Sulu... punch it."

The Impulse Engines lit up, and the _Enterprise_ accelerated until she sailed into the rift, ready to face whatever was on the other side.

Admiral Meiou was now wishing she had an aspirin.

* * *

"So... that's it? We _can't_ shut it down?"

"I'm afraid so."

The Scouts all sighed. They had taken control of the station's computer, only to discover that the Rift Generator was only accessible by Beryl herself. Jupiter brought up the station's schematics and started looking for anything they could use to cut power to the Generator. But the more Jupiter looked over the schematics, the more she thought Moon's original plan was the best one. It was then that she noticed something. There were two power cores. One dedicated to the Rift Generator, and another for the rest of the station. But there was something that caught her eye.

"Wait a second..." she said before projecting a holographic image of the power cores. She started tracing particular conduits with her finger to see if she wasn't seeing things.

"Um... I'm no engineer... but are those two power cores... tied together?" Venus asked, also tracing the same conduits with her finger.

"Looks like," Jupiter replied. "And according to Mercury, everything tied to the Rift Generator is locked down tight. I _think_ this is some kind of redundancy in the power grid. If there is a loss of power in the Generator's grid, the main station grid could supplement until power is restored. I guess that would make some twisted sense..."

"But if they're tied together... we could exploit that," Mars summarized.

"Exactly," Jupiter said, snapping her fingers and pointing at the raven-haired woman.

Moon was feeling a little lost. If they were locked out of the Generator systems, how could... wait... the main core isn't locked down. And its tied into the second core, which is dedicated to the Generator.

"We overload the main core, and the second goes with it," she finally said. Jupiter nodded in agreement. Apparently the system was designed in such a way to allow for maximum efficiency, but left it open to exploitation. By opening up the main core while the secondary was still active, it could cause a feedback loop since both were fully operational, overloading both cores and destroying the station. The problem was how long it would take. There was no real way to know. There was also no way to know if there would be time to reverse the sabotage. But it was their best option really.

"Mercury, Jupiter... set it up," Moon said.

* * *

Beryl stepped onto the bridge of the _Metalia_ , a feeling of immanent victory swelling up within her. The Lunarians had ships, but none were capable of facing off against her dreadnaught. Not even their space stations had the firepower, if the _Archon's_ attack was anything to go by. With a grace that belied her intentions, Beryl approached the throne that acted as the Command Chair, and sat down in it.

"Prepare to move out," she ordered. "The day of my victory has come."

All activity on the bridge of the _Metalia_ stopped for a moment as the Youma turned to face their Queen. All the Youma aboard the dreadnaught were 100% loyal to Beryl, and seemed to revel in her confidence. As far as they were concerned, the Dark Kingdom's victory over the Lunarians was guaranteed, and would show the rebellious younger generations the truth. Beryl's power could not be matched. Not by the Lunarians. Not by their vaunted Senshi. Not by anyone.

As they returned to their duties, one officer detected an anomalous reading from the station. Double checking the scan data, she turned to face her Queen again.

"My Queen... there's... there appears to be a malfunction in the Rift Generator's power core."

"What kind of malfunction?" Beryl growled in annoyance.

"It... appears as if the main reactor is overloading. At the current rate... five minutes before the station is destroyed."

Beryl narrowed her eyes. She didn't know how... but it had to have been those blasted Senshi. With a wave of her hand, Beryl ordered the fleet to move out. Five minutes was more than enough time to get through, establish a base on the other side, and start gathering resources to build a new station.

* * *

The Scouts were running full tilt through the corridors of the station. It could blow at any moment, but they were going to try and get out. Rushing past Youma, they didn't even slow down for corners. It wasn't long before they made it to the hanger and pretty much vaulted into the _Artemis_. Venus jumped into the pilot's seat and powered the shuttle up while Mars closed the hatch.

"GO GO GO!" Moon urged as Venus lifted the shuttle off the deck, swung the nose around, and hit the throttle. In the back, Kruge and Caithlin were holding on to whatever they could as the inertial dampeners strained to keep up with the blonde pilot's maneuvering. The _Artemis_ shot through space like a bat out of hell in a desperate attempt to escape impending doom. The sight of the Youma fleet didn't even register as Venus tried to make a beeline for the rift, and safety on the other side.

They didn't get the chance.

A beam of energy lanced out and caught the _Artemis_ , bringing the escaping shuttle to a jarring halt. The dreadnaught had locked onto them with some kind of energy tether, and was holding them in place like a Tractor Beam. Venus fought with the controls as Mercury rotated their shield harmonics, and even tried to polarize the hull, in an attempt to break free. Slowly, the tether retracted, pulling the _Artemis_ closer to the dreadnaught.

"Come on!" Venus growled. "Let me go!"

Mercury was now starting to swear under her breath as everything she tried failed. They just didn't have the power. The console beeped, indicating that they were being hailed. Moon stepped forward and answered the hail. The figure that appeared on the screen was the same one Admiral Meiou had shown them back in the lunar palace. Queen Beryl.

 _"Thought you could escape?"_ Beryl taunted.

"That was the plan..." Moon countered.

 _"Foolish girl. I've already won. It won't matter if you destroy the station. We'll just build another on the other side. And your Kingdom will fall."_

"The Federation will stop you. And the Klingons, the Romulans, Tholians..."

 _"You remind me of that... whelp of a princess. But it won't matter. You won't live to see my victory. Oblivion awaits you."_

The transmission cut off. Jupiter said something about that not sounding good. Sure enough, Mercury reported that the dreadnaught had locked weapons on them.

"Perhaps today is a good day to die..." Kruge said. Caithlin... ran over to Jupiter and held onto the brunette in fear. Jupiter wrapped her arms around the young Romulan child and tried to calm her down, even though it probably wouldn't matter in a minute anyways.

"Not that good a day..." Mars said in a neutral tone.

"At least we're going to cut off enemy reinforcements..." Moon sighed. "Guys... it was an honor. And Mercury... thanks for always being there for me at the Academy."

"Kobayashi Maru..." Mercury sighed. "At least we bought the Federation some time."

A single torpedo launched from the dreadnaught and homed in on the helpless _Artemis_. Before it could impact however, it was intercepted by a spray of ruby death, followed up by more ruby death slamming into the hull of the dreadnaught. The tether was cut off at the source, and the _Artemis_ was free. Venus jumped at the opportunity and hit the throttle. Before they got far, a flash of something massive shot by the _Artemis_. Something big and white. Mercury turned, and saw a familiar registry number on a very familiar saucer section as the dreadnaught was raked with Phaser fire.

 **NCC-1701**

"WAY TO GO _ENTERPRISE_!" Mercury shouted.

 _"_ Enterprise _to_ Artemis _. Get through the rift. We'll hold the Youma off."_

"Understood _Enterprise_ ," Moon replied. "We're gone. Be advised that station's about to blow at any time. And if it goes, so does the rift."

 _"Thanks for the heads up. Now get your ass through that rift!"_

Venus didn't wait to be told as the _Artemis_ entered the rift.

* * *

Kirk watched the viewscreen as the _Artemis_ escaped. So far the Youma fleet hadn't reacted to the _Enterprise_ , and they caught the dreadnaught flatfooted. They had to do what they could to prevent this monster from reaching their universe. Ruby Phaser fire and silver torpedoes bombarded the dreadnaught as the _Enterprise_ circled around the enemy warship.

"Hail them," Kirk ordered as he stood up from the Captain's Chair.

The viewscreen shifted, displaying a very pissed off Queen Beryl.

 _"How DARE you!"_

"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the _USS Enterprise_. I'm just going to give you one warning. Stay out of our universe or you will face the full might of the United Federation of Planets."

 _"You cannot stop me!"_ Beryl spat. _"I WILL have my revenge!"_

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Kirk replied, knowing that this wasn't going to end peacefully. "Mr. Chekov... Target that thing's engines. Shred them."

"Aye Keptin," Chekov replied.

The _Enterprise_ unleashed her fury once again into the _Metalia_ , pummeling the aft section of the dreadnaught with Phaser and Torpedo relentlessly. The dreadnaught accelerated in a desperate bid to enter the rift, viewing her attacker as unworthy of her attention. The rest of the Youma fleet seemed to be in disarray by the starship's blitz attack on their flagship, and seemed to be unwilling to engage for some reason.

"Captain, the dreadnaught is entering the rift," Spock reported.

"Chekov! Everything we got! Now!" Kirk ordered.

Behind them, the Youma station started to rip itself apart in a massive fireball.

* * *

"Admiral, there's a disturbance in the rift."

Admiral Meiou looked up from her PADD at the viewscreen just as a small object came hurtling through.

"Picking up a Federation transponder... Moore type... Shuttle _Artemis_."

The name of the shuttle piqued Setsuna's interest. She immediately gave the order to hail the shuttle, only to hear that the shuttle was hailing them.

"On screen."

The image of a young blonde woman appeared on the viewscreen. Although no one recognized her, Setsuna knew it was Serena Pike in Senshi uniform.

 _"_ Lexington _, this is_ Artemis _, requesting permission to come aboard. We've got two passengers eager to return home."_

"Permission granted _Artemis_ ," Setsuna replied. "Welcome home."

 _"Thanks Admiral. For a minute there I didn't think we'd make it."_

"Understood. _Lexington_ out."

A couple minutes passed as they waited. The passengers were taken to sickbay while Moon made her way to the bridge. She drew attention to herself, but Setsuna shut them down real quick. Before either of them could speak, another report of a disturbance came. This one much bigger. All eyes turned to the viewscreen as a massive ship started to emerge.

"Oh god... the dreadnaught..." Moon gasped. However, that shock soon turned to surprise as more of the ship emerged... on fire and heavily damaged. Apparently the damage caused by the _Enterprise_ was made worse by the transit through the rift. Once the dreadnaught was clear, she started listing to port. Setsuna stood up and tugged on her uniform.

"Open a channel," she ordered.

"Channel open admiral."

"This is Admiral Setsuna Meiou, commanding the Federation 2nd Fleet and leading a coalition force of the United Federation of Planets, Klingon Empire, and Romulan Star Empire. Your ship is heavily damaged and in no condition to engage a fleet. Stand down and prepare to be boarded."

While Admiral Meiou was dealing with the Youma, Moon looked out at the rift. She was scared when a report came about the rift collapsing. There was no sign of _Enterprise_ anywhere. The rift was shrinking before her eyes. Admiral Meiou stepped up to the side of the blonde and put a hand on her shoulder.

"They knew the risks," she said. "I'll put in a commendation for the entire crew."

"Won't be the same..." Moon sighed.

"That's the chance we all take," Setsuna replied. "Every time we go out, we may never come back. Kirk knew this."

"They didn't..."

Moon never finished her sentence as something came flying out of the rift just before it collapsed.

It was _Enterprise_.

The entire bridge crew of the _Lexington_ cheered as the flagship maneuvered to rejoin the fleet, looking for all intents and purposes the conquering hero. Someone actually let out a howl of excitement as well. Setsuna couldn't help but smile. Kirk and his crew beat the odds again. She had a feeling that they had a knack for that. Turning her attention to Moon, the green haired woman put a hand on her shoulder.

"I think you're on the wrong ship lieutenant," she said with an amused look. Moon gave her a sideways smile before excusing herself from the bridge.

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: Had fun with this chapter. With this being a Star Trek crossover... _gotta_ have the _Enterprise_ take part. The scene where the _Enterprise_ swoops in to save the Scouts was inspired by a scene from the movie _The Hunt for Red October._ A Russian Alfa had fired a torpedo at the _Red October_ , only for the torpedo to get confused and go for the _USS Dallas_ after she swung in behind the _Red October_. Seaman Jones, who was aboard _Red October_ with Jack Ryan and Captain Mancuso, saw this on sonar and went "WAY TO GO _DALLAS_!"

Another movie reference is right at the end of the chapter. At the end of the movie _Wing Commander_ , Admiral Tolwyn said something about Blair being on the wrong ship when they recieve word that Devereaux was being taken back to the _Tiger Claw_.

The chapter's title is a reference to the movie _Pacific Rim_.

Although this wasn't a direct fight against Beryl, it helped to set how important it was to stop her from getting through. I'm sure Sailor Moon fans will recognize the name of Beryl's Dreadnaught as well. And I hope the part with the Scouts in space made some sense.


	13. Enterprising Young Heroes

Chapter 13

Enterprising Young Heroes

 _Admiral's Personal Log: Stardate 2258.77_

 _They did it. They actually pulled it off. I have spent centuries looking for them after they failed to appear in the 20_ _th_ _century. And now... The Scouts have returned. Although things are different then they should be... I'm confident that they will be able to rise to any challenge._

 _I cannot fix the damage the_ Narada _had caused back in 2233, and again when Vulcan was destroyed. In that aspect... I failed as a Guardian of Time. But Time... it seems... has a way of repairing some of the damage done by itself. One particular ship, with one particular crew... brought together in extraordinary circumstances to face a grave threat. And now... James T. Kirk will face many challenges to come. And he will not do so alone._

 _Beryl has been taken to a Maximum Security facility in Regulus Sector. Although I doubt we've seen the last of her... I pray that she remains locked up on that asteroid for eternity. There are other threats out there that the Federation is unprepared for... but then again... who is? In the Galactic Scale of Things... Starfleet is still young. Born in the 22_ _nd_ _century and... fresh out of its crib, challenged the local bullies in the Romulan Star Empire and won. Here in the 23_ _rd_ _... Starfleet is stretching its legs, and facing challenges from its neighbors. But that was to be expected. I know how history was supposed to proceed. I can only hope that out of all this... we may just come out better prepared for the darkness that is to come._

 _The threat from the distant Gamma Quadrant..._

 _The merciless, emotionless darkness spawned from a planet of machines..._

 _The chaos wrought by the Demons of Air and Darkness themselves..._

 _But that is in the future. For now... more noble pursuits await us. The Federation stands as a beacon of light in the darkness. And it will be up to us all... to defend it from all threats._

 _I have finalized the transfers of Lts. Amanda Anderson, Lita Kino, Rene Hino, and Minako Aino to_ USS Enterprise _. No point in breaking up the team now that they've discovered their strength. I still have to find Uranus, Neptune and Saturn... but for now... there is no hurry._

 _Besides... There are plenty of new worlds to see on the way._

* * *

Minako dipped her brush into the can as she put the finishing touches on the _Artemis_. She could have used the spray on stuff... but there was just something about doing it the old fashioned way that had a more... personal touch. A few more brush strokes and she pulled the stencil off the side of the shuttle and stepped back.

Now proudly displayed on the side of the _Artemis_ was the registry number of her new assignment.

 **NCC-1701**

"We're home _Artemis_..." Mina said with a smile. "We're home."

The smile grew a bit bigger as she looked at the name of the shuttle. Although it wasn't regulation to add nose art to shuttles, Mina took the liberty of adding a silver crescent moon under the shuttle's name. A little nod to the rest of the team. She was pretty sure Serena wouldn't mind. Or Captain Kirk for that matter.

Picking up the paint can and brush, Mina turned to leave the shuttlebay and head for her quarters.

"We gonna have some fun here..." she said.

* * *

She finished organizing the small armory next to the shuttlebay as Minako passed. Rene couldn't help but smile as she closed her eyes. Although losing her friends on Starbase 24 hurt... she had a new place to call home, along with new friends.

Closing the cabinet where she stashed her Phaser Rifle, Rene ran a hand through her black hair before stepping out of the Armory and closing it up.

* * *

"KEENSER! GET DOWN!"

Lita was making herself at home in Engineering, even joining Scotty in yelling at Keenser whenever he climbed things. The _Enterprise_ wasn't an Akula class... but it wasn't just the place that made a home, it was the people.

Rolling her eyes as Keenser refused yet again, the brunette just sighed and smiled as she went back to work on running a diagnostic on the EPS grid. Her hand brushed up against the pouch that held her Pen before returning to the console.

"Looks like everything's green across the board Mr. Scott," she said as the Scotsman approached.

"Aye..." Scotty replied. "Great work lass."  
"Thanks Scotty."

* * *

She finally unpacked her things. Ami never thought the transfer would be permanent, but here she was, settling in aboard the _Enterprise_. Once the assignments were finalized, sleeping arrangements were reorganized to allow the Scouts to be in the same area. Ami was actually bunking out with Serena again, with Lita, Mina, and Rene next door.

Pulling out a picture frame, Ami smiled as she looked at it before placing it on the nightstand. It was a picture of her family, with her as a young child between her parents. Shortly after that, another picture was placed, this one showing Ami at the Academy alongside her friend Serena Pike.

* * *

Serena stepped onto the Bridge with PADD in hand. Things were getting back to normal. Or... at least as normal as they can be when you're aboard the _Enterprise,_ especially when you're not exactly normal yourself. It was still hard to believe that she and her friends were supposed to be some kind of hero team or something like that. But... she wouldn't trade it for the world.

Walking passed Uhura, Serena made her way to the center of the Bridge. Chekov and Sulu looked back and gave her a friendly smile before returning their attention to their respective consoles. Spock was over at his usual station, running who knows how many scans and stuff on the surrounding sector. McCoy happened to be up here as well, pacing at the back of the Bridge with that slightly annoyed look he gets sometimes. And in the middle of it all... James T. Kirk.

"Latest reports sir," Serena said, presenting the PADD to the Captain.

"Thank you lieutenant," Kirk replied as he accepted the device. "Your friends settling in?"

"Yes sir."

"You did good Serena," Kirk said with a smile.

For a moment nobody said anything. Then... Kirk stood up and motioned towards The Chair.

"Take us out Ms. Pike," he said with that roguish smile.

Serena blinked in surprise. Now all eyes were on her. Kirk just offered her The Chair, even if only for a few minutes. After a minute, she took a step forward... and caught her foot on something. She would have fallen flat on her face if not for Kirk's quick reflexes. Apologizing for the screw up, Serena sat down in the Captain's Chair. Although nervous, sitting in The Chair... felt right. In a way... even if it wasn't going to last... she felt like she was sitting on some throne and ruled over a kingdom.

Sulu had a smile on his face as he watched all this. He had to admit, in a way, Serena Pike looked like royalty right now. Even if she was just the daughter of an Admiral.

"Course heading?" he asked, catching Serena off guard.

"Um..." Serena faltered. They didn't have any particular mission so it was pretty much an open galaxy. So much for feeling like a leader. Now she felt like a lost cadet again. Shaking her head, Serena just pointed out towards the viewscreen.

"Second star to the right," she said. "And straight on til morning. Lets just see what we find."

With a smile, Sulu turned around and plotted a course out into the unknown.

The _Enterprise_ came around, light from the sun glistening off her white hull as the starship broke orbit from Earth. She glided past the moon before her nacelles lit up, and the _Enterprise_ shot off to Warp for parts unknown.

* * *

Facility 4028

Regulus Sector

She fumed over her defeat. Not only had she been defeated by these Lunarian successors and their allies, she was beaten by senshi.

"Enjoy your victory for now Sailor Moon," Beryl growled. "We'll meet again. And next time... I will destroy you."

* * *

Starbase Frontier-17

"Thank you for your time Commodore Daniels," she said as she left the office. Daniels had his eye on Helios, a device created by T'mar and her father to try and help the Vulcans rebuild. He was hoping it would give Starfleet a tactical edge.

She didn't care about the man's ambitions.

She had her own.

If only he knew who he had been dealing with.

But now was not the time to reveal herself, in her gold armored glory. No... she would bide her time. Things still needed to fall into place before she could execute her plans for the galaxy.

Let them think their destiny was their own. When the time was right... she would prove them wrong. After all... patience was a virtue.

Tugging on her Admiral's uniform, she remembered a time when she was known for her strength. She was the most powerful of the senshi. Now... she had been forgotten. But soon... she would remind them.

But not yet. Events were set in motion, and she wanted to see how they played out. She had even heard of the exploits of one particular starship that might pose a threat to her plans.

As she stepped onto the transporter pad, she had a hint of a smile on her face.

"One to beam over to the _Galactica,"_ she told the operator.

 _Enjoy your victories_ Enterprise _._ She thought as her body dematerialized. _I will be keeping an eye on you._

* * *

Author's Behind the Scenes: Not much to say about this one. The chapter title was inspired by the track _Enterprising Young Men_ from the Star Trek soundtrack. Felt it fit. I also left it open for a possible sequel in the future.

And this is it. _Moonrise_ is complete. I hope everyone enjoyed the story. I know I had fun writing it, and finally working up the courage to post it. What new adventures await? Well... maybe we'll find out. I currently have no plans as of now, but... I hope to revisit both _Moonrise_ and _Sierra Echo_ at some point when I figure out what to do.

Until the next adventure...

Rattler20200


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